Though links to big money signings around the continent are regularly generated, Paris Saint-Germain have in fact been slightly muted this summer.
However now, new manager Thomas Tuchel, who replaced Unai Emery at the Parc des Princes this summer, has been allowed to make his first monetary signing of his new reign.
Les Parisiens have followed through on the purchase of Kylian Mbappé from Ligue 1 and have brought Juventus goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon on a free transfer from Italy, but today it has been confirmed that the first paid acquisition of the Tuchel era has begun with the purchase of defender Thilo Kehrer from Schalke O4.
Reports circulated that the 21-year-old, who was part of the Germany team that won the European Under-21 Championship in 2017, was on the verge of making his move to the French capital several days ago, with Sky Sports claiming that the two clubs had already reached an agreement for the German centre-back.
Now personal terms have been agreed with the player, it is today however that the move has finally been made official.
On a five-year deal, Kehrer will be playing in les rouge et bleu as PSG strive to claim their eighth Ligue 1 title, and continue to assert their dominance as their sixth in seven years.
Schalke Sporting Director Christian Heidel commented on the deal to SkySports, "The economic dimension, in other words the transfer fee for a player whose contract expires next year, is why we accepted this move".
Kehrer made 28 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke last year, for a total of 45 since the 2015/16 season.
PSG were previously heavily linked with World Cup star Benjamin Pavard, who memorably scored an exquisite half-volley against Argentina to announce himself on the big stage.
Though operating at right-back for the national team, Pavard’s centre-back position at Kehrer’s former Bundesliga rival Stuttgart is preferred by the 22-year-old.
With Kehrer arriving for a reported €37million, filling the gap, and PSG’s hands still tied by the looming threat of Financial Fair Play, it seems unlikely the 22-year-old Frenchman will arrive before the transfer deadline slams shut at the end of August.
Similarly, Bayern Munich stalwart and 2014 World Cup winner Jerome Boateng’s hopes of moving from Germany to France now seem in jeopardy. Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had informed that the player had been in contact with PSG at the end of July and was subseqeuently told that the only stumbling block was finding an appropriate transfer fee.
PSG opened their title-defending campaign with a 3-0 home win over Caen, and will next play Guingamp on Saturday 18th August.
