It is the end of two "so beautiful" stories: Leonardo, sports director of Paris SG, recorded the departures of Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani. In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche , he confirms that these emblematic players, at the end of the contract and about whom the rumors were going well, would not extend beyond this season.
The end of two symbols
This formalization marks the end of an era in Paris with the departures of the Brazilian defender (35 years old), an indestructible captain for several years, and the Uruguayan striker (33 years old), top scorer in PSG history with 200 goals . Two idols from the Parc des princes, who arrived at the club in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Two symbols of the 2010 decade, that of the beginnings of the Qatari project and repeated failures in the Champions League.
"It was a very difficult decision to make," said Leonardo in an interview with JDD to be published on Sunday, extracts from which were published on the weekly's website. "These are players who have marked the history of the club: we always wonder whether we should continue a long way together or whether it is better to avoid the year too much. The stories were so beautiful. But , yes, we are coming to the end. We had to make a logical decision, even economically or with regard to the generation that is coming, "he continued.
"Never a perfect moment"
It is not really a surprise for Cavani, helmed by the arrival of the Argentinian Mauro Icardi: the Uruguayan "Matador" had suggested in recent months that he was considering leaving and he could bounce elsewhere for a last big contract , for example at Atlético Madrid It is more a heartbreak for Thiago Silva, who hoped for an extension at least until 2022, year of the World Cup in Qatar, his last big goal.
Parisian sports director Leonardo has decided to turn the page for sporting and financial reasons: with losses estimated internally at more than 200 million euros after the shutdown of Ligue 1 due to coronavirus, PSG has initiated a necessary reduction of its payroll exceeding 300 million euros. "Maybe we're wrong, I don't know, there is never a perfect time," said Leonardo.
A desire to keep them until August
However, he leaves the door open to a short extension of the two players' contract to allow them to complete in August the PSG Champions League campaign, interrupted in March when Paris had just qualified for the quarter-finals at the expense of Dortmund (1-2, 2-0). "The idea is to continue competing with them until the end of August. But the way in which we can achieve this is not yet clear" legally, argued the leader.
Regarding other players at the end of the contract, such as Thomas Meunier, Layvin Kurzawa or Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Leonardo also hinted that they would not be kept. "The idea is also to stop there but we have to discuss the next two months. We will try to keep the whole group for the Champions League," he said.
"I admit that it's a bit of an unknown"
For all the clubs forced to complete their season interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic during the summer, Fifa recommended individual negotiations with the players at the end of the contract to extend their lease by a few weeks. But Leonardo said that certain files were complex, such as that of the substitute goalkeeper Sergio Rico, loaned by Seville FC only until the end of June. His expected departure would deprive Keylor Navas of an understudy for the finals of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue, scheduled for late July or early August, and for the final stretch of the C1, hoped for in August "I admit that it is a little bit unknown, "said Leonardo.
The Brazilian leader, who celebrates Sunday the first anniversary of his return to the controls at PSG after a first significant mandate (2011-2013), also took advantage of this interview to give wages to coach Thomas Tuche l: he ensures that l 'German, under contract until 2021, will always be on the bench next season and that he has not contacted any coach. "With Tuchel, we talked: he knows everything, it's very clear, there is nothing with anyone," concluded Leonardo, already projected onto the future.