PSG’s Summer Jolt: 3–0 Defeat and New Target

Sixty-seven days after lifting the Champions League for the second time, Paris Saint-Germain were dragged back to earth with a thud.

Their first outing of the new campaign, a friendly on paper but a reality check in practice, ended in a 3–0 defeat to Real Mallorca – a side freshly relegated to Spain’s second division. The European champions looked rusty, short-handed, and short of ideas.

A large portion of PSG’s internationals were missing, still on extended breaks or easing their way back. That mattered. But the scoreline still stung for a club that has spent the summer talking about evolution, not regression.

The response will not just come on the training pitch. It will come in the market.

REINFORCEMENTS LINING UP

Behind the scenes, the Paris hierarchy continue to push through deals designed to deepen and refresh Luis Enrique’s squad.

Lucas Digne and Magnes Akliouche are both edging towards the Parc des Princes. Neither signing is official yet, but both dossiers sit close to completion, the final details being ironed out while the team stumbles through its early friendlies.

PSG have also turned their attention to two promising profiles abroad: goalkeeper Zion Suzuki at Parma and Mika Godts at Ajax. Those negotiations are described as complicated, the kind of transfers that drag through the window with clauses, options, and competing interests slowing everything down. Still, the talks have not stopped. They rumble on in the background, part of a broader plan to refresh the squad’s spine and its future.

And then came a new name. One that changes the tone of the summer.

MALO GUSTO ENTERS THE FRAME

According to English outlet The Sun, PSG have set their sights on another French talent: Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto.

At 23, Gusto is already well-travelled. Born in Décines-Charpieu and developed at Olympique Lyonnais, he left Ligue 1 in 2023 for Chelsea in a €35 million move. The Premier League club bought him as part of their long-term rebuild; now they are listening to offers.

On the pitch, his numbers last season tell a story of trust and responsibility. Gusto played 49 matches in all competitions for Chelsea, scored 3 goals, and delivered 5 assists. His progress was rewarded with a place in France’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, a clear sign of how highly he is regarded at national-team level.

That profile – young, athletic, already tested at the top – fits the new PSG blueprint. And it fits the ideas of Luis Enrique.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO HAKIMI – AT A PRICE

The Sun reports that PSG are studying the Gusto deal in detail, weighing the financial hit against the tactical gain. His qualities have caught the eye in Paris, and Luis Enrique has given his approval to the idea of bringing him in as an alternative to Achraf Hakimi on the right flank.

That in itself is notable. Right-back was not supposed to be a priority this summer. Hakimi remains a cornerstone, and Warren Zaïre-Emery impressed when asked to fill in on that side, his maturity and versatility offering an internal solution that suited both coach and club.

Yet elite squads are built on competition, not comfort. Gusto’s arrival would sharpen that edge, give Enrique the option of rotating without a drop in intensity, and potentially future-proof a position that is notoriously hard to staff at the very top level.

The obstacle is obvious: the price.

Gusto’s valuation sits at €87 million. Even in a market where numbers can feel detached from reality, that figure is considered steep. PSG, despite their resources, are not in the habit of paying any number placed in front of them, especially for a position they had not ring-fenced as a key area of spending.

It is hard, for now, to picture the French champions simply writing that cheque.

CHELSEA OPEN THE DOOR

One factor plays in PSG’s favour: Chelsea are not closing it.

The London club, according to the same report, are open to selling Gusto. Their squad has been in constant flux, and the arrival of Marco Balestra has only added to the congestion in the defensive positions. In that context, a substantial offer for Gusto could help balance their books and reshape their options.

Manchester City are also in the frame. They, too, are hunting a right-back and have placed Gusto on their list of targets. When City and PSG circle the same player, the dynamics of a transfer window can change quickly.

For the moment, though, this remains a study, not a sprint. PSG are evaluating. Chelsea are listening. The player’s value is clear; the price, less so.

In France, nothing has been confirmed. No medicals booked, no agreements leaked, no late-night airport sightings.

What is certain is this: after a 3–0 wake-up call against a relegated Mallorca side, PSG’s summer no longer feels like the quiet consolidation of champions. It feels like a club one big decision away from reshaping the right side of its future.