PSG Just Passed up the offer of a lifetime

Paris St. Germain, one of the worlds wealthiest clubs, has been unable to win a UEFA Champions League trophy. But why is that? They have the star power to be considered one of the world's best teams. Perhaps it’s the fact that they rely too heavily on star power. Perhaps the stars they rely on, aren't right for the job.

In what world could you ever dream of getting Coutinho AND Dembele for free? Well according to CBS Sports, Barcelona offered Coutinho, Dembele, and $45 million for Neymar. CBS Sports's Roger Gonzalez writes that PSG is more focused on regaining the cash spent on acquiring Neymar rather than filling the void he will leave.

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I'm honestly baffled. Don't get me wrong, Neymar is easily one of the best players on the planet when he's healthy. But he's far from healthy. His 2018-2019 campaign was marked by countless injuries and countless issues were circulating Neymar off the field including a very real rape accusation.

I don't see PSG getting a better offer than this. It's not like Neymar is keen on staying. It's being reported that he told PSG that he wished to leave the club. Why not get two world-class players plush cash for him?

Let's look into Dembele for a second. The 22-year-old French international has lurked in the shadows at Barca. He has been unable to break through that his $140 pricetag suggests (this is what Barca paid to pry him for Dortmund). If I were Dembele, I'd be itching to leave Barca. With the arrival of Griezmann, Dembele's playing time just saw even more of a decline.

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At PSG, Dembele would be playing with fellow country-man Kylian Mbappe and he'd be clashing with Angel Di Maria for playing time. With Di Maria being 31, it would only be a matter of time until Dembele would take his place. A perfect scenario for Dembele. If he wishes to further his career, he needs to leave and PSG could use his services, especially when they don't have to pay a release clause for him.

Now for Coutinho. It seems like he's in a similar boat as Dembele. Barca loading their front-three will most definitely mean Coutinho could see a decline in his playing time. For me, it shouldn't but I feel like it will. The trio of Coutinho, Griezmann, and Messi playing behind Luis Suarez is deadly. All three players can interchange allowing for fluid movement throughout the Barca attack. This is something that could be invaluable and it could free up opportunities for an aging Suarez as the constant interchange could leave opposing teams in disarray. It seems like Barca could most definitely use Coutinho. Why Barca is keen on swapping him for Neymar seems unclear. Especially since they just signed Griezmann.

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So what about at PSG? Coutinho would be competing with Julian Draxler for playing time. The 25-year-old German midfielder plays on the width but also as a central attacking midfielder. Draxler is an excellent player but is he as good as Coutinho? I think not. Coutinho thrived on the Brazil squad that won the Copa America. What position was he playing? Attacking mid. I think the trio of Marco Verratti, Ander Herrera, and Coutinho is a world-class trio. And don't forget about Julian Draxler.

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So is PSG foolish for passing up on Barca's offer? Absolutely. Despite Neymar costing approximately $250 million, there will never truly be a shortage of money at a club like PSG. Plus, if you can snag two world-class players for virtually nothing, you should seize that opportunity

To understand one must look at the bigger picture. If there is constant drama surrounding the future of Neymar and his controversies, won't it push Mbappe out the door?. Riding the club of bad-blood while bringing in world-class players keen on making impacts is the way to go. It will be interesting to see how both Barcelona and PSG's futures pan out before the summer window closes.

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Throughout the summer, my view of Neymar has changed. I originally thought that he was in a slump and that it was only a matter of time until he emerged from it. This may be true but the amount of drama circulating regarding his future isn't warranted. Neymar's campaign last season was one marked by red flags. PSG paid a fortune for his services and after two years he's asking to leave. I think that Paris needs to seize this opportunity and let him go. It might be their best and last chance.

Sources: Transfermarkt.com

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CBS Sports - Roger Gonzalez