Whether it is to get first-team experience or to temporarily remove disgruntled fringe players from the squad, loan deals continue to be the bedrock of the transfer market for football clubs of all sizes.
PSG are no different, as they have such a deep squad of high-quality talent, with it being nigh-on impossible to keep so many players happy with the amount of first-team action they are getting.
So, how have the players loaned out by PSG fared this season?
Keylor Navas
So deep in the mire was Nottingham Forest back in April that they were odds-on favorites in the football betting to suffer relegation from the Premier League, with the likes of Everton and Leicester City considered more likely to survive.
But the (league) tables have been turned since then, with a run of three wins and a draw in five games securing Forest’s top-flight status, while Leicester (1/7) and Leeds United (1/33) are now the favorites in the Premier League betting market for relegation.
Focused!!! pic.twitter.com/dpsi44qbiM
— Keylor Navas (@NavasKeylor) April 15, 2023
One of the keys to Forest’s resurgence has been the performance of Keylor Navas, who has been installed as the first-choice goalkeeper at the club known as the Tricky Trees. The Costa Rican earned the Player of the Match award in the 1-0 win over Arsenal thanks to some fine saves, so his place in the club’s hall of fame is secured despite the temporary nature of his stay.
Abdou Diallo
Despite joining PSG back in 2019, Abdou Diallo has only made 50 appearances for the club. So it’s no surprise that he was loaned out to RB Leipzig at the start of the season, where the defender has unfortunately been surplus to requirements as well.
It seems likely he will return to Paris, with Leipzig unlikely to act upon a £20 million option-to-buy clause.
Julian Draxler
It’s been an excellent season for Portuguese club Benfica, who have been the best team in the Primeira Liga, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Unfortunately, Julian Draxler has been a peripheral figure in those successes, with injuries severely limiting the number of appearances.
Leandro Paredes
It was something of a surprise when Leandro Paredes was allowed to leave the club on loan at the start of the season, with Italian giants Juventus only too happy to snap him up.
Technically, the Turin outfit would have finished in the Champions League places but for their ten-point deduction, so it’s been a good season on the pitch even if it’s been a disaster off it.
As for Paredes, he’s been little more than a bit-part player for Juventus, as he has started most games on the bench.
Gini Wijnaldum
It’s been a frustrating season for Roma, who will finish no higher than fifth in a campaign they were expected to potentially challenge for the Serie A title, although they have performed well in Europe with Jose Mourinho working his magic.
The embodiment of that disappointment has been Gini Wijnaldum, who was expected to make a huge impact in his loan tenure at the club. But a broken leg suffered in training just two weeks after landing in Italy was rotten luck. The Dutchman has since returned to first-team action, but it’s unlikely to have been the season he envisaged.
So, all things considered, it’s not exactly been a positive campaign for PSG’s most experienced players out on loan.
