5 worst January signings in PSG history

Paris Saint-Germain v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg
Paris Saint-Germain v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have managed to position themselves among Europe's elite clubs through strategic investment and spending. The club was known for its shrewd business model that attracted a number of stars in the past, including Ronaldinho and Jay-Jay Okocha, among others.

PSG's fortunes turned around after their 2011 takeover

Immediately after the club was taken over by Qatari Sports Investment in 2011, big money signings began flowing in. The club did not shy away from making moves in the summer and winter transfer windows as they looked to beef up their squad with quality players.

Majority of these players, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Lucas Moura and Alex, among others, helped take the club to the next level. However, some of these projects did not exactly go according to plan, and the players did not live up to expectations in the club. Without further ado, here is a list of five of the most disappointing January signings in PSG history.


#5 Souza

Willamis Souza had a disappointing spell at the Parc des Princes
Willamis Souza had a disappointing spell at the Parc des Princes

Following the success of South American players like Ronaldinho, the club tried to sign more players from South America. In January 2008, Willamis Souza joined for €4 million from Brazilian side Sao Paulo.

The Brazilian attacking midfielder was handed the number 10 shirt at Parc des Princes upon his arrival. The midfielder was 28 at the time of the transfer and joined from the Brazilian side, where he played alongside future Selecao stars Joao Miranda and Hernanes.

Souza's time in Paris did not exactly go according to plan, as he made only 17 appearances for the club before leaving for good. He failed to find the net in any of his appearances and made only three assists for the club.

Souza left for Gremio on a season-long loan deal after only six months at the club. The midfielder eventually moved to the Brazilian club on a permanent deal for €2.2 million after one year.


#4 Everton Santos

Everton Santos had more loan spells than Ligue 1 appearances for PSG
Everton Santos had more loan spells than Ligue 1 appearances for PSG

In the same transfer window that PSG signed 28-year-old Souza, the French club picked another budding Brazilian star in Everton Santos. The attacker was signed for a fee of €2 million from Corinthians as a 20-year-old in January 2008.

The youngster was immediately included in the first-team at Parc des Princes, but failed to make an impression at the club. Santos made only three appearances for the club before being loaned out just six months later to Fluminense in the Brazilian Serie A.

Despite being highly rated in Brazil, where he made 25 senior appearances for Corinthians in his debut campaign, Santos failed to make the cut in Europe. The Brazilian was sent on a series of loans to clubs in Brazil, Japan and South Korea before eventually leaving for free in January 2012 after his contract expired.

#3 Goncalo Guedes

International Champions Cup 2017 - Paris Saint-Germain v Juventus
International Champions Cup 2017 - Paris Saint-Germain v Juventus

Portuguese winger Goncalo Guedes has been one of the best in his position over the last two years in Spain playing for Valencia. Before joining Valencia, he had a spell in France with PSG as a 20-year-old.

After breaking through as a teenager with SL Benfica in his native Portugal, PSG quickly splashed out €30 million on the promising youngster in January 2017. Guedes managed one assist in 13 appearances for Les Parisiens in eight months at the club before he was loaned out to Valencia in September of the same year. The winger spent one season on loan at Mestalla before earning a permanent move to the club.

Guedes was signed by Valencia for a €40 million fee, representing a profit of €10 million for PSG, despite his inability to make it at the French club. The forward has become an important player for Valencia since his move to the club.


#2 Yohan Cabaye

Paris Saint-Germain FC v Stade Rennais FC - Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain FC v Stade Rennais FC - Ligue 1

Yohan Cabaye was picked up by PSG following a spell in the English Premier League with Newcastle United in January 2014. The midfielder was signed for €25 million by the French giants after impressing during his time as a Newcastle player.

The French international made 57 appearances for PSG following his transfer from Newcastle, but managed only 2,606 minutes in total. Cabaye managed three goals and four assists in his time at Parc des Princes.

Eighteen months after moving to PSG, Cabaye found himself out of the club, as he moved back to the Premier League with Crystal Palace for €13.9 million.

Cabaye lined up for Emirati club Al Nasr and AS Saint-Etienne in the French Ligue 1 before hanging up his boots in 2019.


#1 Julian Draxler

Paris Saint-Germain v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg
Paris Saint-Germain v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg

Julian Draxler was very highly-rated when he signed for PSG in January 2017. The midfielder had featured for Schalke 04 and Wolfsburg in his native Germany before joining the French side for €36 million.

Draxler has failed to hit the heights he did in Germany since joining PSG and has been unable to nail down a starting shirt at Parc des Princes. He has made 189 appearances in five years as a PSG player, with 26 goals and 41 assists in that time.

Draxler has often been linked with a move away from Paris due to his inability to secure a regular spot in the team. The midfielder has a contract with the club that will run until 2024 after signing an extension in May 2021.

Quick Links

Edited by Diptanil