EXCL: PSG laying groundwork for future Mikel Arteta appointment, Xavi Simons return not ruled out, plus PSG star to Man City and Liverpool winger links & more

Our man in France with the latest on the big PSG transfer stories, and more!

What PSG’s talks with Mikel Arteta could mean for the future

As fellow columnist Ben Jacobs recently reported, Mikel Arteta was recently approached by PSG’s Luis Campos, but it was probably a bit unrealistic of PSG to think that he was going to leave Arsenal given the stage that his Gunners project is at.

Still, I think one thing people forget about Arteta, who is more associated for his time in the Premier League with Everton and Arsenal, is that early on in his career he had a very successful loan spell with PSG before he joined Rangers. So there is a little bit of history there as an ex-player, similarly to Mauricio Pochettino.

PSG are now closing in on Luis Enrique, but it’s come after a difficult search for a new manager. It’s been difficult for them to find the right blend of experience, someone who puts a lot of emphasis on youth, and who would also be a good cultural fit at the club. Arteta is one of the few who ticks most of those boxes, but of course Enrique comes with more experience, having been a Champions League winner, having coached young players in the Spanish national team at major tournaments, and having also worked in the past with some difficult characters like Neymar.

So it’s no surprise really that they went for Enrique, but I think this approach for Arteta, while never a particularly realistic move now, does perhaps lay the ground for PSG to move for him in the future, because when you’ve played for PSG and end up being a high-profile manager, that counts for a lot in the club’s eyes.