PSG spent a fortune in the summer by bringing in a host of new talent in the form of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Dani Alves. The high-earning players along with the monumental release clause paid for Neymar means that PSG now finds themselves on the wrong side of the FIFA Financial Fair Play rules and must quickly look to balance their books by selling players or risk retrospective punishment from the governing body of football.
What PSG’s new arrivals have also done is that they have forced the regular first-team stars of last year out of the side and naturally these out of favour players are now looking at viable options elsewhere to keep their careers ignited.
One such player who has fallen down the pecking order is Belgian right back Thomas Meunier. The 26-year-old fullback who signed from Club Brugge last summer on a four-year deal has seemingly lost his place to Brazilian stalwart Dani Alves.
It is now being reported that Meunier fears that losing his regular first-team spot would mean that he would risk his place in the national team for the World Cup in Russia next year. The Belgian had an impressive outing in his debut season last year after scoring 5 goals and setting up 9 more in 43 appearances for the club and is understandably unhappy at losing his place despite turning in a solid season for a right back.
Reports are claiming that Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is ready to offer the Belgian a way out by bringing him to Old Trafford in the January transfer window. The Belgian is likely to cost the club around £30 m and will provide a good addition for Jose’s team.
Despite having Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia as his two designated right backs, Mourinho will be happy to bring in a player of his quality for such an affordable price. Darmian has failed to impress Mourinho and the Portuguese only sees him as a stop gap player and even though Valencia is in the form of his life, he already north of 30, which is not a good number for a fullback in the Premier League. This is something Mourinho will be aware of having dealt with the same problem in the form of Branislav Ivanovic at Chelsea.
With the World Cup coming next year and Meunier having seemingly lost his place at Paris, a move to Manchester could actually provide the Belgian with a perfect platform to perform and make the world take notice. If he does move and play well at Manchester United, he will almost surely get a call-up to the national set-up as the media hardly ever fails to notice anything that goes on around Old Trafford, such is the prominence of the place.
