5 players who did not deserve to play for PSG

Following their takeover by state-run shareholding organization Qatar Sports Investments, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have emerged as the most recent juggernaut in European football. In a short span of time, the French outfit have assembled a star-studded squad capable of dominating on all fronts. PSG's influence on the transfer market has been era-defining, with several of their transfer dealings shaping up the current financial structure in football.

PSG have made some big-name signings in recent years

Issuing a statement of intent, the nine-time Ligue 1 champions sent shockwaves all across the world when they snatched Neymar from the clutches of Barcelona. His signing broke the transfer market, causing massive inflation on a worldwide scale. Not content with one superstar on their team, PSG followed their €222 million signing with the acquisition of Kylian Mbappe from direct title rivals Monaco.

Initially on loan, Mbappe's permanent signing inflicted a dent of €145 million on PSG's finances. Due to their recent spending, the Parisians have been able to attract some of the biggest names in football, a feat that seemed impossible 15 years ago. They currently have the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi among others in their squad.

Despite their all-star cast over the past decade, PSG have had numerous underwhelming players in their ranks over the same period. With an infinite supply of resources, the French giants are bound to make mistakes from time to time. On that note, let's take a look at five players who did not deserve to play for PSG:

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#5 Lassana Diarra

PSG was Diarra's last club

At number five is the evergreen Lassana Diarra. Unlike other players on this list, Diarra wasn't a player with abilities that paled in comparison with PSG's status. On the contrary, the Frenchman was very reliable on his day. However, Diarra had become a shadow of his former self at the time of this transfer to PSG.

The defensive midfielder experienced a steep decline in form following his departure from Real Madrid. Diarra went on to have multiple underwhelming spells with the likes of Anzhi Makhachkala, Lokomotiv Moscow and even Abu Dhabi-based Al-Jazira.

At two different phases of his professional career, he had to bide his time without being attached to any club. With such a rugged background, Diarra joined PSG in 2018. He retired from football a year later, having made just 19 appearances for the club. While a move in his prime years would've made PSG a better team, Diarra definitely didn't deserve to play for the Parisians in his weary state.

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#4 Hatem Ben Arfa

Ben Arfa played for Newcastle and Hull before joining PSG

Another talented player that PSG purchased after his fall from grace, Hatem Ben Arfa joined forces with the French champions in 2016 at the age of 29. His wavering form in the Premier League should've been a huge red flag for the Parisians.

Impressed by his 2015-16 form with Nice, which produced 18 goals and seven assists, PSG signed the erratic playmaker on a free transfer. However, his resurgence at the Allianz Riviera was more of a one-season wonder, and he returned to his inconsistent ways with PSG.

The 15-time capped France international lasted for only two seasons at the Parc des Princes, with most of his time spent on the treatment table. A paltry 32 appearances, four goals and seven assists later, he was released from the club, with PSG banishing him to mid-tier football.

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#3 Benjamin Stambouli

Stambouli recently joined the Turkish league

PSG's decision to sign Benjamin Steambouli from Tottenham, despite having the likes of Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi, raised many eyebrows. While such a transfer would've made perfectly understandable in their pre-takeover days, PSG's acquisition of the Frenchman made zero sense in 2015.

A relatively unknown quantity, Stambouli turned out to be as lackluster as expected by the fans. The defensive midfielder failed to dislodge anyone in a dominant PSG midfield, mostly starting in cup games for his new club.

Following 40 sub-par performances that reaped a single assist, Stambouli was offloaded to Schalke in 2016. Having never represented his country on the international stage, the PSG reject now plays for Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor at the age of 31.

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#2 Jese

Jese was supposed to be the next big thing

In 2016, PSG decided to take a punt on Real Madrid prodigy Jese Rodriguez, signing him for a sizeable fee of €25 million. Despite not having achieved anything substantial in his career by that time, the Spaniard was still a highly-rated prospect. Back then, the Parisians must've thought that they had bagged themselves a certified future superstar.

However, Real Madrid were the only winning party in that deal, acquiring €25 million for a player like Jese. The youngster lacked the commitment one needs to succeed at the highest level of football. Injuries and disciplinary issues plagued his PSG career, with Jese making just 18 appearances with the club.

In his four-year stint with PSG, the erratic forward spent the majority of his time out on loan, signing temporary deals with as many as four clubs. Tired of his off-field antics, PSG finally decided to terminate his contract in 2020, amidst a controversial scandal. At 28, Jese is now slumming it out with Las Palmas in the second tier of Spanish football.

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#1 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

Choupo-Moting plays second fiddle to Lewandowski at Bayern

If anyone truly deserves a hike in this pandemic-affected footballing world, it is the agent of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who consistently brings lucrative deals to his client. The Cameroon international has played for both PSG and Bayern Munich in the past three years despite his middling abilities.

Contracted with Bavarians at the time of writing, Choupo-Moting was plying his trade at the Parc des Princes before making a switch to Germany. Similar to his position at Bayern, the 32-year-old forward was nothing more than a backup option for PSG during his two-season spell in France.

In that duration, Choupo-Moting managed to amass 51 appearances, only scoring a meager nine goals along the way. He infamously stopped the ball from crossing the goal-line after a brilliant effort from Christopher Nkunku in 2019, becoming a laughing stock across the continent.

Like Martin Braithwaite at Barcelona, Choupo-Moting was never meant to play for a team like PSG. Nevertheless, as fate rarely agrees with talent, the former Stoke City striker is on track to win the fourth league title of his career.

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