€20M: An incomprehensible transfer to PSG?

Wednesday 06th November 2024 03:41 AM

Thibault Morlain
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Journalist

After trying different sports, Thibault turned to a career as an amateur footballer. When making a choice between becoming a professional footballer and a journalist, the qualities tipped the scales to one side. Here he is now in the editorial staff of 10 Sport, after a diploma obtained at the International Institute of Communication in Paris.

This summer, PSG finished the transfer window with 4 recruits on the clock. The first of them was Matvey Safonov. A reinforcement of the Russian goalkeeper which surprised more than one given that the capital club already had Gianluigi Donnarumma and Arnau Tenas. And even today, this investment of €20 million from PSG leaves some people perplexed.

At 25 years old, Matvey Safonov is now a goalkeeper at PSG. It was this summer that the Russian, who had only known Krasnodarset down his suitcases in the French capital. He was one of the 4 Parisian recruits alongside Joao Neves, Willian Pacho et Désiré Doué. A €20M transfer which nevertheless gave rise to certain questions. Why recruit Safonov while Luis Enrique already had Gianuigi Donnarumma et Arnau Tenas at the guard post?

“We cannot say that it brings real added value”

Matvey Safonov is it really a plus for the PSG today compared to Gianluigi Donnarumma ? Pour The Teama goalkeeper coach in Ligue 1 does not understand the arrival of the Russian, especially if we base it on the play on his line: “ He is mobile, dynamic, has strong support. We feel that he is reliable on his line. But based on what we saw and more generally after watching what he did in Russia in videos, there is a big gap with Donnarumma. From this point of view, we cannot say that it brings real added value ».

“I don’t find him more precise in his reading of the game”

Likewise, when it comes to aerial play, there is not a big difference between Gianluigi Donnarumma et Matvey Safonov. « I don't find him any more precise in his reading of the game. In both cases, I tell myself that it doesn't remain their strong point », explains a daily sports specialist about Safonov.