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Ever since Qatar sports foundation bought PSG in 2011, there have been a number of high-profile signings and names who have made their way to Paris. However, PSG was a very successful club in the 1990s as well where they won multiple trophies thanks to some wonderfully talented players.
Also read: Top 5 Real Madrid signings of all time
Not surprisingly, the list is dominated by the players from the 1990s and the present era. Without much ado let us look at the five greatest Paris Saint-Germain signings of all time:
#5 Pauleta
Second highest scorer in PSG’s history, Pauleta was a firm fan favourite and one of PSG’s greatest strikers of all time. The Portuguese forward joined PSG from Bordeaux for a fee of €12 million and he proved to be worth every penny.
in 212 games for the Ligue 1 giants, Pauleta scored an impressive 109 goals. He finished as the top scorer in Ligue 1 three times and was also voted twice as the division's player of the season.
Pauleta was a natural goalscorer and he was famed for his finishing and heading abilities. Strong on the ball and capable of making intelligent runs, Pauleta often gave opposition defenders plenty of sleepless nights. The Portuguese star retired from professional football in 2008, but he has still continued his association with PSG and he is now currently one of the club ambassadors.
#4 Rai
The younger brother of Brazilian legend Socrates, Rai was part of the famous PSG squad which managed to win the Ligue 1 title in the 1993/94 season. Playing as an attacking midfielder, Rai made 217 appearances scoring 74 goals.
Blessed with good close control and amazing dribbling skills, Rai also had an eye for goal often scoring beautiful goals from long range. In a 5 year spell with PSG, the Brazilian international won 6 trophies which included 1 UEFA Cup winners cup, 1 Ligue 1 title, 1 French Supercup, 2 French cups and 1 French League cup.
Bought from Brazilian side Sao Paulo for $4.6 million, Rai along with George Weah played a crucial role in PSG’s rise as a European power in the 1990s. The Brazilian’s flicks and tricks are still remembered fondly by the PSG faithful.
#3 Thiago Silva
The PSG revolution and project really took off with the arrival of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from AC Milan in 2012. One of the best centre-backs in the world, Thiago Silva has been rock solid at the back for PSG and has also been an excellent leader of men in his four seasons at the Ligue 1 club.
The Brazilian is regarded as one of the fastest defenders in the game and he is also gifted with good aerial ability. His amazing positioning skills and tactical intelligence also allow him to be one step ahead of the game and make him a nightmare for all opposition forwards.
Thiago Silva is one of the most decorated players in PSG history having won an incredible 13 trophies in 4 years. The Brazilian has led by example so far, and he will be hoping to guide PSG to Champions League glory this season.
#2 George Weah
Arguably the greatest African footballer of all time and the only Ballon d’Or winner from the continent, Geroge Weah played a crucial role in PSG’s successes in the mid-1990s. In his prime, Weah was considered to be one of the greatest strikers to ever play the game.
The Liberian was blessed with good speed, physique, and technique and his goals and skills enthralled PSG fans day in and day out. Bought from Monaco in 1992, Weah had three extremely successful seasons at PSG, where he won the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and Coupe de La Ligue.
For his achievements and skills, the Liberian was nicknamed “King George”. King George went on to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or in 1995 before making a move to AC Milan where he cemented his place as one of the greatest players of this generation.
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Was there any doubt as to who would head this list? Zlatan Ibrahimovic has undoubtedly had the most impact on the Ligue 1 side. Transferred for just €20 million, Zlatan’s signing probably represents the most well spent 20 million in PSG’s history.
His stats for PSG are absolutely incredible. In 180 appearances, the Swedish superstar scored 156 goals inspiring PSG to four consecutive Ligue 1 titles. Zlatan's impact for the club was much greater than just his goals.
The very presence of Zlatan lent credibility to the PSG project and helped the Ligue 1 giants attract top players like Cavani and David Luiz. The club's record goalscorer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the greatest PSG signing of all the time.
