It has been anything but a quiet summer at PSG, where the transfer window has so far been defined as much by the players leaving Paris as by those arriving.
Kang-in Lee’s departure for Atletico Madrid removed one of Luis Enrique’s most versatile attacking options, and the club have spent much of July fending off Premier League interest in Bradley Barcola while holding firm on their valuation of the forward.
Admittedly, supporters could be forgiven for feeling the window has been more about resistance than reinforcement. The squad that swept through last season clearly needed refreshing in the wide and creative areas, and until now there had been little concrete movement.
Amid all of that, there is finally some rather more welcome news for the Parc des Princes faithful. A France international has been on the club’s radar for weeks — and it now appears the wait is almost over.
PSG to sign €50m France international from AS Monaco
According to RMC Sport’s Fabrice Hawkins, Maghnes Akliouche will sign for PSG in a €50m move from AS Monaco — a deal Hawkins notes has been expected for several weeks.
Writing in French on X on Thursday, the journalist reported that the date of the player’s medical has not yet been fixed, so there is still a final step to come before anything is made official.
Interestingly, Hawkins added that Akliouche had several options on the table this summer but always prioritised a move to PSG. That detail will please Luis Enrique as much as anyone, given how often modern transfers turn on a player’s willingness to wait.
The Frenchman is viewed as the numerical replacement for Kang-in Lee, according to the same report. That makes obvious sense — the South Korean’s exit left a gap in the creative rotation that the club never filled in the first half of the window.
Of course, until the medical is booked and passed, this one is not quite over the line. But when a reporter of Hawkins’ standing on PSG matters says a player will sign, it is usually because the hard work has already been done.
Akliouche has long looked destined for Paris
Akliouche is a product of Monaco’s academy and has grown into one of Ligue 1’s most admired creators, a left-footed attacking midfielder comfortable drifting in from the right or operating between the lines.
His rise has been steady rather than sudden. He established himself as a fixture in the principality, forced his way into the France setup, and has been linked with the biggest clubs in Europe for the best part of two years. That PSG have won the race will feel like a statement in itself.
PSG’s interest is no secret either. An agreement that left Premier League clubs empty-handed was already being reported earlier this month, so Thursday’s development reads like the final act of a pursuit the club have managed patiently and quietly.
To be fair, €50m for a home-grown Ligue 1 talent entering his prime looks sensible business in the current market, particularly for a club that has made a point of building around young, French-speaking players in recent seasons.
There will still be plenty to resolve in Paris before the window shuts — the Barcola question has not gone away, and further departures remain possible. But if Akliouche completes his move as expected, Luis Enrique will have the creative reinforcement his squad has been crying out for, and PSG will have landed one of the most coveted young players in France.
The medical date is the next thing to watch. Once that is set, this saga should finally reach its conclusion.
