PSG: in girls too, we tighten our belts

Absent against Guingamp (4-1) at the opening of the championship and remained on the bench in Bordeaux (0-0), Bénédicte Simon could well take advantage of the late return of the many internationals and their state of fatigue to take his first steps with PSG , this Friday (6.30 p.m., on Canal + Sport) at the Jean-Bouin stadium (Paris XVI).

This is good since the 23-year-old defender would find Reims, which she left this summer to reach the capital.

Considered a double, the side is one of the few players to have filled the Parisian ranks during the transfer window, with the return of the German Charlotte Voll (21) as second goalkeeper and the arrival of the Swiss striker Ramona Bachmann (30).

If the PSG made a nice shot by attracting the latter from Chelsea, it will be the only one.

As Olivier Echouafni told us again this Thursday, "unless there is a big opportunity, and there is none at the moment", the club's recruitment is closed at least until January.

"We have a competitive and quality squad which will allow us to make at least the first part of the season", assures Olivier Echouafni

“This is the status quo, there is nothing special, recognizes the coach of PSG.

We have a competitive and quality squad which will allow us to make at least the first part of the season.

After the meeting at Guingamp, he already felt he had "a fairly balanced, homogeneous and talented workforce" to finally succeed in dethroning OL.

And this, even if the starting box was much more filled with the exoduses of Hanna Glas (Bayern Munich), Eve Périsset (Bordeaux), Katarzyna Kiedrzynek and Karina Saevik (Wolfsburg), Lina Boussaha (Le Havre) and the upcoming loan by Léa Khelifi in Dijon.

Not to mention the departures of several hopes on which PSG counted, such as the nugget Vicki Becho for Lyon.

The returns from long injury of Sara Däbritz and Signe Bruun or the limitation to three non-EU players did not encourage the Parisian leaders to recruit more.

But it is also and above all for financial reasons.

“We must not neglect the economic aspect, confirms Olivier Echouafni.

Like all the other clubs, we are in difficulty.

There are restrictions, and we have to adapt.

"

The losses related to Covid-19 for the entire club are difficult to quantify since the health crisis is far from over.

They could reach more than 200 M € over two seasons.

Thomas Tuchel's good career in the Men's Champions League and the departures of players have certainly limited the damage.

Savings at all levels

Still, the PSG is looking to save money at all levels.

Even within the women's section therefore, which nevertheless represents only a tiny part of its budget (7 M € out of 640 M €).

The position of general manager of Bruno Cheyrou, who left for Lyon, has not been filled.

It was the sports director Leonardo who took over the women's issues in hand.

Should we see a cause and effect relationship?

Not to mention the great effort made by the capital club to extend Kadidiatou Diani for three years, at the end of his contract, and thus avoid his departure for the great rival of Lyon.

He granted a nice salary increase to his attacker by aligning himself with the highest salaries in force at OL (we are talking about more than € 30,000 per month).

With his hat-trick and his decisive pass against Guingamp, the Habs showed PSG and their sporting director Leonardo that they were right to do everything to keep it.

It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to compete with Lyon, on the pitch this time.