France’s most successful club, Paris Saint-Germain, is in transition, and hopes to replace some outgoing players with talent from its youth academy — a way to cut costs and reconnect with the increasingly disgruntled fans.
Uefa’s new spending rules have helped force PSG’s hand.
Starting next season, clubs competing in European competitions must limit
spending on players and coaching staff to 90 per cent of revenue, a figure that
will gradually drop to 70 per cent.
Across Europe, PSG is the club most in need of belt
tightening. The wage bill hit 109 per cent of revenue last year, according to
figures from data provider Football Benchmark.
The overhaul at PSG has major implications for French
football. According to estimates from sports intelligence provider Twenty First
Group, PSG’s chances of winning the league next season drop from 59 per cent to
42 per cent without Messi and Neymar. That introduces a level of
competitiveness sorely lacking in Ligue 1, making it more exciting and
potentially boosting interest over the long-term.
However, PSG is the only French club with global reach and
household names on the team sheet. Just as Ligue 1 puts its broadcast rights
out to tender, French football is about to lose some of its greatest marketing
assets.
The exodus also raises questions about PSG’s plans to raise
new capital. The Qatari owners have been in talks to sell a stake in the club
since last year, with a target valuation of over €4bn.
The club still doesn’t own its stadium, and with a dwindling
roster of big brand players, investors might wonder what exactly they are
buying into.
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