Sunday, Arthur Kalimuendo, his wife and three of their four children were gathered in front of the television in Suresnes (Hauts-de-Seine) to follow the first steps in the professional jersey of the PSG of Arnaud, 18 years old. Debut accompanied by a goal and a decisive pass during the Le Havre stroll of his team (9-0). "As soon as you have to follow Arnaud's matches, we try to be with the family to send him positive vibes," smiles the father. We were really happy for our son, it is the fruit of what he has been doing since he started football at the age of 5, even if it is only the beginning. "
"Do not ignite", but try to display the character necessary to make your place in one of the largest clubs in Europe. This is the challenge for this powerful finisher (1.79 m, 78 kg), author of 30 goals in 25 official games this season at the training center and in the national selection of his category. A report that makes his father say that he "did everything he could do in young people". Since deconfinement, Kalimuendo has been fully integrated into the workforce of Thomas Tuchel. Edinson Cavani left PSG before Eric Choupo-Moting in a few weeks. What broaden the horizon, perhaps.
"We will move forward with the club"
"Arnaud lives this preparation well, because he knows that this year he will only stay with the first team," says his father. An environment that one could look at with children's eyes, at the end of adolescence: "He likes great players, and Neymar in particular, but I advised him to ignore when he is on the field, to improve his football alongside great players. Being a spectator will not advance it. People who can make a difference fascinate him. Neymar is an artist. He likes Kylian Mbappé too, he told me that he was cool and that he spoke to him well. Since childhood, his model has been Ronaldo Fenomeno ( Editor's note: the Brazilian player ). He has it in the background on his phone. "
Lover of PSG, fan of Ronaldinho and Anelka in his childhood, at the club for eight years, and talented, Arnaud Kalimuendo presents a little the same profile as Tanguy Kouassi or Adil Aouchiche. Two players for whom the rest of the story was not written as expected, which heightens the concern in Paris regarding young people with high potential. The Kalimuendo contract, until 2022, brings a little serenity, but the period remains pivotal and discussions for an optional year are underway.
“There are details to settle, but there is no problem on this point, we will move forward with the club, says Arthur Kalimuendo. The logic would be that all these children trained in Paris stay. They really want to have a career in their training club. I greatly regret the departure of Tanguy and Adil, it was really the future of the club. They have decided, they have their reasons. Our logic is that Arnaud has the potential to stay in Paris for a long time, establish himself in his training club and have a career there. Between wanting and doing it, there is a difference, we will go step by step. "
"We trust Leonardo"
In the delicate Parisian context, there is no question of claiming a particular place in a starry attack (Mbappé, Icardi, Sarabia and Neymar can play at the peak). No way to miss the train either: “We are happy, it's going well with the managers, they are nice and we trust Leonardo (Editor's note: the sports director) , who wants to rebuild the team. He brought in Marquinhos and Verratti when they were young. I expect him to put the youth of the club in a very good position so that they can continue their education and development. "
Without any comparison of potential, it seems that Kylian Mbappé's aversion to being told about his age has been emulated. "People will discover Arnaud, promises his father. We are only at the beginning, but I don't like that we stop at the logic that he is young. Some players are precocious, we must not be afraid to give them playing time. The requirements are higher, but for me he is ready to make his way. "
PSG Express
The essential newsletter for Parisian supportersI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
In a transfer window that promises to be long, several Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs follow the situation of the international under-18s. "I'm not too adept at loans, I hope the club will trust him to progress", breathes Arthur Kalimuendo. His son, too, imagines growing up alongside the stars who carefully congratulated him after his first pro goal.
