What If Neymar never joined PSG? Part 1: The dawn of a new age
By Jim James
Hello all, welcome back to the blog. What-Ifs are a staple in Football Fandom, asking what would have happened if a certain event did or didn’t happen. One of the biggest what ifs is the transfer of Neymar Jr to PSG. A world-record fee, and a to be honest, flop. He was expected to take the place of Messi and Ronaldo at the world’s peak in around 2019 or 2020. However he has been shown up by a Player who was 18 at the time of Neymar’s transfer: Kylian Mbappe. However, what if we could turn back time? What if we could go back and force Neymar to stay? Here’s what would have happened (Plus to be transparent, maybe some reaches here and there, but it’s better for the storytelling).
July 1, 2017: Neymar signs new deal with massive release clause, states that he will not leave Barcelona
Amid strong interest from PSG, Neymar and FC Barcelona agree on a new contract until 2022 that sees his 222 million release clause become 540 million. Barca have pointed to his release clause to anyone looking to sign him, and PSG ends their interest in the Brazilian.
July 5, 2017: PSG creates shortlist for LW signings
After failing on the Neymar transfer, PSG create a shortlist of Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele, Eden Hazard, Paulo Dybala, Keita Balde Diao, and Mohamed Salah. They will pursue the stars in that order.
July 8 2017: PSG Put in formal bids for Coutinho, Dembele
PSG continue their search for a Winger and offer for Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele. PSG seems more likely to land Dembele than Coutinho, as Liverpool really want to keep the Brazilian. It is rumoured that both opening bids are of fees in the region of 100 million Euros.
July 9, 2017: Liverpool reject Coutinho bid
Liverpool have quickly rejected the bid for Philippe Coutinho. PSG are in the search for a big name attacker, and Coutinho is one of the players who PSG have put a formal bid in for, along with Dortmund star Ousmane Dembele. Les Parisiens hope to have a bid accepted for one of their interested players by the end of the week.
July 10, 2017: Despite a bid being accepted, PSG unlikely to land Dembele
Today Dortmund accepted PSG’s bid of 100 million Euros plus Jean-Kevin Augustin, but Ousmane Dembele has restated to the club that he only wants to join a team in the Premier League or La Liga. This has put a damper on the deal and PSG are now unlikely to keep pursuing him.
July 11, 2017: PSG try again for Coutinho and Dembele but also offer for Hazard
Leonardo has said that it is “foolish” not to keep going in for Coutinho and Dembele, but also has a Plan B with Eden Hazard. They are offering 100 million Euros plus Lucas Moura and Jese to the Lions club. It still seems far-fetched that any of these deals will happen though.
July 12, 2017: PSG Pull out of the Coutinho race
After tough negotiations with Liverpool, PSG have lost interest in Philippe Coutinho and will focus on targets Ousmane Dembele and Eden Hazard instead.
July 14 2017: Chelsea accept Hazard bid
PSG have started negotiations with Eden Hazard and his agent and Chelsea have started negotiations with Jese and Lucas Moura after Chelsea accept the 100m + Jese and Lucas Moura bid for Eden Hazard. Hazard is the favorite to be PSG’s marquee signing as even though negotiations have been going on for a week, Ousmane Dembele is still playing hardball with PSG.
July 19 2017: Chelsea agree terms with Jese, Moura
Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Jese and Lucas Moura in the Eden Hazard swap deal. It is now up to PSG and Eden Hazard to finish their negotiations.
July 21 2017: PSG and Eden Hazard agree terms
Eden Hazard is as good as a PSG player now. Him and PSG have agreed personal terms, and the Belgian is signing some paperwork as I write this. A medical will be done later doday. An official announcement is expected tomorrow and a PSG website leak has said that the presentation will be on July 24.
July 22 2017: PSG sign Eden Hazard
PSG have announced the signing of Eden Hazard from Chelsea. The footballing world is in awe. Chelsea are looking for a replacement now for the 26-year old.
July 22 2017: Chelsea inquire for Dortmund Pair
Chelsea are looking at Ousmane Dembele as a replacement for Eden Hazard. They have made an inquiry for the Frenchman, and they are also looking at Christian Pulisic and have also made an inquiry for the American.
July 23 2017: PSG planning triple swoop
PSG supposedly aren’t done with attackers as they want three players to really boost their chances: Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, and Youri Tielemans. The most expensive of the three would be Mbappe, Monaco is demanding a World Record fee and PSG are looking at a loan with an option to buy or a swap deal, Roma are demanding at least 40m for Mohamed Salah, and Anderlecht want at least 65 million.
July 24 2017: Eden Hazard presented at Parc de Princes
Eden Hazard has been presented to a capacity crowd today at the Parc de Princes in Paris. Hazard joined Paris a couple days ago and Chelsea has been very active in the market looking for a replacement.
July 24 2017: Chelsea put in bid for Dembele
Chelsea has put an official bid in for Ousmane Dembele. They have offered 70 million Euros plus Charly Musonda and Bertrand Traore. It is expected that Dortmund will reject this in favor of a bid with more money though. This saga is far from over.
July 26 2017: PSG in talks with Monaco, Roma
PSG have started talks with Monaco and Roma for the transfers of Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah. The Salah one is much more advanced, with PSG and Roma already very close to a deal. They have also started talks with Salah himself and negotiations are progressing very well.
July 27 2017: PSG agree personal terms with Mohamed Salah
PSG and Mohamed Salah have agreed personal terms. The player sees this as his big chance and now wants to leave Roma. PSG and Roma seem a few days away from agreeing a deal.
July 29 2017: Talks between Chelsea and Dortmund break down
Dortmund and Chelsea’s talks have broken down as they have reportedly been nowhere near a deal. Chelsea put in a bid of 70 million plus Musonda and Traore, but Dortmund wanted 95 million and Pedro. After 4 days of going nowhere, Chelsea have turned their attention elsewhere
July 30 2017: Roma and PSG agree terms for massive multi-player swap deal for Mohamed Salah
Much earlier than expected, especially with a deal of this complexity, PSG and Roma have agreed a multi-million, multi-player deal, we can’t even say just for Mohamed Salah anymore, but Mohamed Salah is the crown jewel of the deal, that is for sure. PSG have agreed to swap 40 million Euros, Alphonse Areola, and Jean-Kevin Augustin for Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Sadiq Umar, and Gerson. They have also agreed to the swap of Antonio Rudiger for Marquinhos that will be completed in 2018. All players will be undergoing their medicals soon, and announcements will be in the next couple days.
July 30 2017: Chelsea make shortlist for Hazard replacements
Chelsea have targeted a few players as Eden Hazard replacements including:
Paulo Dybala
Antoine Griezmann
Leroy Sane
Lorenzo Insigne
Dries Mertens
Kingsley Coman
Inaki Williams
Chelsea will favor these players in order and have started negotiations for all 7.
August 1 2017: PSG and Monaco agree monster Mbappe deal
PSG and Monaco have agreed a deal with potentially massive implications. PSG has agreed to pay Monaco just 90 million (40m in performance-based addons) for Kylian Mbappe but loan him back until 2018 and swap Goncalo Guedes, Giovani Lo Celso, Youssouf Sabaly, Cris Nkunku, Jonathan Ikone, Odsonne Edouard, and Adrien Rabiot on a 2-year loan with a 65m option to buy. Monaco in turn have agreed to give PSG Abdou Diallo, Adrien Bongovanni, and Gabriel Boschillia now, an option to buy Jemerson, Guido Carillo, and Almamy Toure for 15m each in 2018 and 2019 and be notified and have first option for them if they go into transfer talks in that time. PSG also have similar clauses for Djibril Sidibe (but it would be a swap for Meunier. Monaco has a similar option for him, and if either team triggers it, there will be a Sidibe-Meunier swap, like a mini-swap deal inside a massive one, it is active until 2020), Fabinho (but for 50m until 2021), and Thomas Lemar (but 70m until 2020). All of those players will have 15% sell on clauses, including Mbappe. However, the deal is still far from completion as all aforementioned players have to agree to contracts. All in all, this deal could see a maximum of 17 players switching teams, 9 switch now, 1 move in 2018, and potentially 7. It could see a maximum of 360 million changing hands, 65 million to PSG and 295 million to Monaco.
August 3 2017: 7-man Chelsea shortlist reduced to 4
Chelsea have narrowed their shortlist for their Eden Hazard replacement down to 4, with deals for Antoine Griezmann, Dries Mertens, and Inaki Williams falling apart recently. A deal for Paulo Dybala appears far away, and deals for Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman are in a very early stage. However, talks for Lorenzo Insigne are doing very well and is the favorite to replace Hazard. We’ll share more news when we have it.
August 3 2017: Mohamed Salah announced as PSG player
Mohamed Salah is PSG’s second attacking signing of this window. PSG will also get Alisson, as well as 2 other youngsters from the deal and get Antonio Rudiger in 2018, and they’ve all been announced, for the price of 40 million, Alphonse Areola, and Jean-Kevin Augustin, with them losing Marquinhos in 2018 as part of the deal.
August 4 2017: Terms agreed for Insigne, Sane, another deal collapses
Lorenzo Insigne’s deal, as expected has flown and personal terms have been agreed. However, a bigger surprise is the speed in which Leroy Sane’s deal has been completed. Personal Terms also agreed with a fee with Man City expected to take only a few days. The Paulo Dybala deal is slowly progressing, but that doesn’t look too bright. Finally, the Kingsley Coman transfer has broken down over terms with Bayern Munchen.
August 6 2017: Mbappe Transfer impasse
While Nkunku, Ikone, Edouard, Bongiovanni, Jemerson, and others have agreed contracts and many more negotiations progressing smoothly, but negotiations for Adrien Rabiot, Guido Carrillo, and Giovani Lo Celso are at a standstill. Because of this, the transfer is in grave danger. It is unlikely to happen unless something SIGNIFICANT changes.
August 7 2017: Bad News for Chelsea: Insigne and Sane deals breaking down
Chelsea fans have woke up to bad news this morning as deals for Lorezo Insigne and Leroy Sane have both broke down, both over an Image Rights dispute. Chelsea’s last hope of an Eden Hazard replacement is Paulo Dybala, and the deal appears far off. Chelsea is starting to panic.
That’s it for part one of our post! We will have many more post, as this is going to be much longer than expected. And yes, this was 2 months in the making. Until Part 2, I’m Jim James, until next time!.