PSG changes: Luis Campos confirmed; Zidane's adviser speaks out; Pochettino's exit looms; Leonardo quietly out
Fri, Jun 10, 2022
Soccer News (AP)
Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the arrival of Luis Campos as football adviser as the French giants' expected summer revolution gets underway. The Portuguese talent spotter made a name for himself in France with AS Monaco and Lille OSC as the two Ligue 1 clubs to deprive PSG of the domestic title in recent years.
"I am delighted to be joining PSG," said Campos in an official statement. "Which I consider the most ambitious and exciting club in world football. I believe strongly in and share the vision of the club and I cannot wait to get started to further unleash the great potential of this exceptional club."
Campos will occupy PSG's acquisitions with Leonardo no longer in the sporting director role despite an absence of official confirmation from the capital club. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to follow the Brazilian out of Parc des Princes after a disappointing 2021-22 season which saw Les Parisiens only claim the Ligue 1 title.
Zinedine Zidane is the first choice for PSG's Qatari owners, but the ex-Real Madrid boss will take time to bring in given that Pochettino is still under contract and the Frenchman had been keen to see what happens with France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year in case Didier Deschamps leaves Les Bleus.
"All these rumors about an agreement with PSG are unfounded," Zidane's adviser Alain Migliaccio told L'Equipe. "Neither Zinedine nor I have been contacted directly by the PSG owner. I am the only one allowed to speak for Zidane and represent him, as of today."
Current OGC Nice boss and 2020-21 Ligue 1-winning Lille OSC mastermind Christophe Galtier is also a frontrunner for the job.
Pochettino is expected to leave after 18 months with Championnat, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions titles, but only one UEFA Champions League semifinal appearance in Europe.
was a big boost at the end of a disappointing campaign but required outside intervention after Leonardo's relationship with the French superstar and his family broke down.
Although Mbappe and Pochettino enjoyed a good relationship, the track record of the former Tottenham Hotspur boss since returning to Paris in a non-playing role has been underwhelming.
Sweeping changes are expected from PSG this summer with Campos now on board having worked with Mbappe previously when Les Monegasques beat Les Parisiens to the 2016-17 title.
Galtier could follow having already worked closely with the Portuguese transfer guru at Stade Pierre Mauroy, but Zidane has been PSG's leading choice for some time.
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Campos was leading a PSG push to sign Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco but the France international has is set on a Real move which is expected to soon be official.
Nuno Mendes' switch from Sporting CP has already been made permanent and things are expected to ramp up over the next few weeks as a new-look PSG project designed around serious Champions League ambitions and domestic dominance takes shape.
