PSG’s project of confusions: Cavani’s imminent arrival marred by Carlo and Leo’s exits

Could Captain Thiago Silva (L) – who has been linked with a move to Barcelona – follow Director of Football, Leonardo (C) and Manager Carlo Ancelotti (R) out of Paris? (Getty Images)

The post of Director of Football has always been a contentious one in England over the years, and the mostly annoying and at times domineering presence of a well suited gentleman in the director’s box has always got the most composed of managers at their nerves wreck at times.

Be it the currently employed Joe Kinnear or Alex Ferguson for that matter, England they say has seen it all. Well, but never in this land has one seen a Director of Football getting a lengthy touchline ban for pushing around a match official.

This was indeed the case with PSG’s top man Leonardo, who after an illustrious career with AC Milan and Inter, ended his time at the French champions PSG due to a dispute over the timeframe of the ban handed for his “push”.

The Brazilian’s arrival on French shores in 2011 had seen the Paris club take the Ligue 1 and much of Europe by storm; well, more specifically the transfer window by storm. Though his first season had seen the now Middle-East owned outfit beaten to the summit eventually by Montpellier, it is the role he played in the 2012-13 season alongside Carlo Ancelotti that he is going to be remembered for.

Usually the appointment of a Director of Football alongside a manager on the bench has often seen clubs suffer an imbalance in squad due to division of responsibilities and power; but rarely was the case in PSG’s regard so.

The coherence in which the duo worked in regard to transfers and player management over the summer and the rest of the season puts even the short stint of Sir Matt Busby as United’s Director in poor light.

The Middle Eastern hotshots have announced themselves in football over the past couple of seasons; and if there is always the case of Malaga to point fingers at, then there equally stand the likes of Manchester City, who have transformed world football with that one summer of spending.

The duo of Ancelotti and Leonardo wreaked havoc on familiar shores by capturing the coup of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva for €65m. The additions of Ezequiel Lavezzi and Lucas Moura alongside Jeremy Menez and Javier Pastore were no mean feat either.

Then came the move that was Leonardo’s masterpiece, a move that diverted the attention of the world to PSG: David Beckham arrived at Paris.

After a season of high-flying, PSG thrashed one and all in France and were only halted by Barcelona in the Champions League. Though this might seem an ode to managerial capabilities of the duo, it is also intended as a peak into this cash churning machine’s transfer system.

Any team that has Ibrahimovic in its ranks has got to revolve around the towering Swede. Though this was not the case in Ibra’s Spanish endeavour, his French adventure so far has been nothing short of miraculous.

Ancelotti’s influence on Ibra’s style became clear from early days, as the Italian coach was able to tame Ibra’s lavish style into a more mature and responsible centre forward role. By placing the one-time winger Lavezzi as Ibra’s strike partner, Ancelotti was able to utilise the physicality he provides to capitalise on Lavezzi’s burst of pace on flick-ons.

The Italian manager was earlier known for introducing the diamond/spear formation at Chelsea, but his preferred system at PSG seemed to be one with two men upfront. This system was almost a 4-4-2 but with a midfielder playing on the left flank.

Pastore was one of Leonardo’s early purchases and though the Argentine’s hefty price tag is often questioned, he is often scored at crucial times. His adaptability on the left often finds him drifting into the No.10 role, and hereby allowing the likes of Menez or Maxwell to utilise the width.

PSG snapped up Lucas Moura for an astonishing €45m. (Getty Images)

Again Leonardo’s role and calls at important junctures showed their value this season as PSG critically snatched Moura from Manchester United’s clutches.

At that point of time the Brazilian’s value of €45m seemed to be highly inflated, but six months into his stay at Paris, Moura has become one of best youth talents in the world currently. The coming 2013-14 season will surely see the teenager establish himself on the right wing, and the work rate and creativity he provides on the flank is indeed commendable.

With such an attacking quartet in the opposition’s half, Ancelotti was able to instil a very flexible and effective double pivot at the centre of the pitch. The duo of Blaise Matuidi and Marco Verratti were nowhere in the books of top midfielders a couple of years back, and Leonardo was expected to bring in some established names in this department too.

Verratti especially has been sensational both for club and country, and his role in the recent Euros-U21 saw him distribute perfectly from a deep position next to the centre-backs. His role at PSG does not find him that deep often due to the presence of the composed Thiago Silva, who himself was not half bad with his long ball distribution in the Confederations Cup.

Verratti’s partner Matuidi is a very interesting French talent and has now become a mainstay in the French team too due to Abou Diaby’s layoff. Matuidi is the typical enforcer in the centre and often shows the energetic trait of breaking forward. In short, he perfectly complements all the skills that Verratti provides.

While the empire Ancelotti and Leonardo tried to establish was somewhat successful, surely the Qatar based owners had not planned for such a short stay for the duo. Ancelotti’s case can be understood as it not often that Real Madrid comes calling; though these days this statement could easily get negated.

Leonardo’s case is somewhat weirder, and the reason of ‘being banned from the touchline for the next full season’ does not sound that big a deal for the Director of Football. But albeit these, critical calls, were going on in the backdrops, the club was not be left out in the transfer market.

Napoli’s Edinson Cavani is set to be on the verge of completing a big-money move to PSG. (Getty Images)

PSG might have lost out on Radamel Falcao’s capture as Ligue1-throne aspirants Monacco aced Paris there. But the club was quick to reply in resounding style and are reportedly on the verge of completing the deal for Edinson Cavani from Napoli.

The capture of ‘El Matador’ for a reported €63m would mean that two of the most feared strikers in the continent, Ibra and Cavani, will operate in the same attack.

The question in everyone’s mind now would be how could Laurent Blanc possibly accommodate these two on the field, as leaving out either one would be almost an insult to world football.

A look at Blanc’s recent project with the French national team reveals that the Frenchman is another practioner of the midfield trio with three attackers. This shape had seen Karim Benzema head the line at the Euro 2012, and the Madrid striker was much less effective when played slightly deeper.

Matching the current PSG setup with this style would see Cavani having to shift into a right attacker role, somewhat similar to the one he plays in Uruguay’s setup. Though he might not be able to utilise his finishing skills to the fullest there, his pace and energy would be a huge boost in front of the equally quick, Gregory van der Weil.

With Cavani on one flank, Lavezzi could be shifted to the left flank from his current second striker role. This would see only Ibra left as the central striker, and his deep positioning could make the duo of Cavani and Lavezzi a bigger threat at goal.

The No.10 role would then shift in the favour of Menez or Pastore. Menez has been used in this role by Blanc earlier and he could provide much more directness behind Ibra.

Another hot rumour at present is Blanc’s interest in Yohan Cabaye. The Newcastle midfielder is a long time Manchester United target and could be a valuable addition to any team wanting to connect a deep midfield to an adventurous attack. But in any case there is little chance that Blanc would shift from the duo of Verratti and Matuidi.

Couple of factors are yet to be realised in the PSG camp. One of the sole reasons for Silva and Ibra’s arrival in France was the presence of Ancelotti and Leonardo, as apart from the obvious financial offers the Milan connection gelled well.

Now that both of the coaching duo have left the premises, there is a good chance that captain Silva and icon Ibra might look elsewhere too. Silva himself stirred rumours of a possible move to Barcelona, with the Catalans in desperate need of a defender.

Ibra, as is well documented, will not think twice about a good offer, and Manchester City seems in the mood of a big offer. Keeping these two will be top priority for Paris at the moment, and Cavani’s imminent signing is one big step in that direction.

President Nasser Al-Khelaifi of Paris Saint-Germain poses with the new coach Laurent Blanc during his official presentation at the Parc de Princes stadium on June 27, 2013 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)

Another diversion appears in Madrid expressing interest in a move for Verratti in exchange for Xabi Alonso. A move that seems to make no sense at all, as Alonso is at the fag-end of his career; in stark contrast to Verratti’s glittering career ahead.

PSG’s signing of Blanc might not seem an illustrious one in world football, as many people were linking the names of Roberto Mancini, Rafa Benitez and Jurgen Klopp to the club. But Blanc is good enough name within French circles and that is what PSG need to concentrate on at the moment.

A place in Euope’s top for looks certain for the Parisian giants if they are able to retain their stars unlike their managers.