How PSG learned from previous mistakes with their new goalkeeper signing

As of yesterday morning, Lucas Chevalier’s transfer to Paris Saint-Germain is all but finished. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal was finished with Lille, and French sources have said that the keeper was expected in Paris that night to complete his medical and sign the contract for an announcement before the end of the week.

This is not the first time that PSG has signed a young, talented keeper while already having an experienced veteran on the books.

When Gianluigi Donnarumma joined PSG in the famous 2021 summer window, he was not handed the starting job right away, and was instead forced to compete with Keylor Navas.

In the end, this ended up being disastrous for PSG. Navas regressed heavily from the player he was before, and Donnarumma was never able to get into a rhythm and wasn’t able to show the talent he truly was until his third year in the French capital.


The Potential For Competition

When it was reported that PSG was closing in on Chevalier, journalists said that the possibility of Donnarumma staying in Paris existed.

This would have meant that the Frenchman and the Italian would fight for the #1 role, similar to how Navas did with Donnarumma in 2021.

However, as Chevalier’s deal to PSG is being finalized, sources have stated that Donnarumma has been informed that Chevalier will be signing a five-year deal to become the #1 keeper per the request of Luis Enrique and Luis Campos.


Why Should PSG Not Do This?

In a vacuum, this sounds like a good idea. Bring Chevalier in for the future, then have Donnarumma still available as a backup in case there is a rough adjustment period for the new player.

However, leaving Donnarumma in the squad is extremely likely to contribute to a rough adjustment period.

As we saw with Donnarumma four years ago, it is difficult for a keeper to adjust to a new environment when they are not guaranteed the starting job. Keeper is a position where your mental state is so important. Everything is down to reactions, and a slight hesitation is the difference between a save and the ball being in the back of the net.

This happened with Donnarumma in 2021. While fighting with Navas, the Italian was not on the level he showed at AC Milan the year before, and made a crucial mistake in the Champions League that saw PSG knocked out.

No keeper is perfect, especially not one joining a new team. Luis Campos and Luis Enrique both believe that Lucas Chevalier has the talent to be the best keeper in the world. Giving him the room to make mistakes and learn from them while he is still young is how he will get there.

Edison Pellumbi
Edison Pellumbi

From Richmond, Virginia, Edison is a member of the Pennsylvania State University's Class Of 2029. He is majoring in broadcast journalism with hopes of becoming a play-by-play commentator. He shares his passionate support of Paris Saint-Germain on this site as a writer.

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