It is, for the moment in any case, a hiccup in the winter transfer window. Deprived of playing time at Paris Saint-Germain, French international Randal Kolo Muani should bounce back at Juventus Turin this winter, as part of a loan.
But if agreements between each party have been reached, and the medical examination has been carried out, formalization is slow, and for good reason…
The day after the medical examination, transalpine coach Thiago Motta spoke of his eagerness to see the new recruit play, possibly this Saturday against AC Milan (6 p.m.): “We are waiting for some administrative formalities for the transfer. If all goes well, he will be with us (Saturday), otherwise we will have him from the next match (against Club Brugge on Tuesday in the Champions League).”
The Parisian club increases loans
But no official announcement followed and the Italian press began buzzing with problems going beyond the simple “formalities” mentioned by Motta.
Paris Saint-Germain must in fact comply with a Fifa rule, decided to “strengthen the development of young players, improve competitive balance, and prevent the excessive accumulation of players under contract”. In 2022, the international body limited the number of players loaned with a gradual reduction in the ceiling: the first year to eight, the second to seven, and from July 2024, to six players.
However, six players under contract with the Parisian club have already been loaned this season: Cher Ndour (Besiktas), Juan Bernat (Villarreal), Nordi Mukiele (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Soler (West Ham), Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig), and Renato Sanches (Benfica). PSG must therefore theoretically part ways definitively with one of these players.
The Journal points out “a mistake” in Paris
On the other side of the Alps, the Gazzetta dello Sport speaks of an “error by PSG which did not realize that it had already reached” its loan quota. “Juve has already registered the contract and hoped to have the green light to have the player in the squad this Saturday, but the French club is engaged in several operations and was unable to resolve the problem in time,” the newspaper continues. Italian sportsman.
-No precedent, but one more mishap
Until now, the transition period put in place since 2022 by Fifa reduced the risks for clubs, and such a case has never arisen until now.
On the other hand, each transfer window has its share of mishaps for players, agents or sports directors… At the start of the year, Lens hit the headlines with the cancellation of the loan of the goalkeeper belonging to OM, Pau Lopez , which its current holder on loan, Girona, wanted to keep until the end of January. “Unacceptable” according to Lens.
The photos of Pau Lopez posing with the Sang et Or jersey and surrounded by Lensois leaders, before the cancellation, were popular with Internet users.
At Paris Saint-Germain, we firmly deny any panic or negligence, ensuring that the Fifa rule and the situation were known and anticipated. PSG, which formalized the arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on Friday, is working on several files during this transfer window, while Juve was in a hurry to play “RKM”.
The loan of Randal Kolo Muani is not questioned by any of the parties, whose relations remain cordial, and should occur in the coming days. According to certain French media, the sale by Paris of Cher Ndour is a preferred avenue, not confirmed by the club. But in Turin, as with the French international, we are inevitably starting to get impatient.
