PSG is going through a dark summer. A series of unfortunate events has put the grand and luxurious castle built with Qatari money at risk of crumbling. Especially after the recent incident where PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi had his house searched by the police.
Recently, French authorities conducted a search of Nasser Al-Khelaifi's residence. The reason behind this action stems from the allegations that the Qatari billionaire was involved in the kidnapping and torture of French businessman Tayeb Benabderrahmane. It is not ruled out that the current PSG president may face deportation from France.
According to Tayeb Benabderrahmane's complaint, Al-Khelaifi detained him in Qatar in January 2020. Tayeb Benabderrahmane was held captive for six months, subjected to torture and forced confinement due to his alleged involvement with confidential documents. Sources indicate that Al-Khelaifi was absent during the police search as he was busy attending the presentation ceremony of PSG's new coach.
The summer of 2023 could be considered PSG's historical catastrophe. If President Al-Khelaifi is forced to leave France due to legal troubles and no longer has the authority to "pump money," the team at Parc des Princes will undoubtedly fall into chaos. PSG heavily relies on financial support from the Qatari owners to revolutionize the squad under new coach Luis Enrique.
Al-Khelaifi is currently involved in a tense battle with Kylian Mbappe before his house was searched. The Qatari billionaire has demanded that the French forward either sign a contract extension in July or be put up for sale (Mbappe has already announced his intention to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2024). Al-Khelaifi does not want to risk losing Mbappe next summer as the 24-year-old's contract with PSG will expire by then.
Mbappe was greatly favored by the Qatari owners. They even granted him rights similar to that of a sports director, allowing him to interfere in the team's transfer matters and the dismissal of coaches. This created a lot of turmoil within the PSG locker room during the 2022/23 season, especially leading to conflicts between Mbappe and South American superstars like Lionel Messi and Neymar.
Lionel Messi announced his departure from PSG immediately after the 2022/23 season. He signed a contract to play for Inter Miami in the United States. The ultimate reason that prompted the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner to leave "troubled" Parc des Princes was related to the disciplinary action he took independently in Qatar. Following Messi's departure, PSG lost millions of fans and terminated many sponsorship contracts, resulting in a decrease in revenue.
Meanwhile, other top stars like Neymar and Mbappe have also begun to show signs of disinterest after consecutive seasons where PSG failed to conquer the Champions League. They have both expressed their intentions to seek new destinations. This led to many renowned coaches turning down PSG after the team sacked Christophe Galtier, who was also recently arrested by the Paris police for allegations of racial discrimination. Julian Nagelsmann is a prominent example of those who rejected the capital club of France.
PSG seemed to be settling down after securing the talented Luis Enrique as their coach and waiting for a splurge in the summer transfer market. However, they are now entangled in the controversy surrounding President Al-Khelaifi. Of course, where there is smoke, there is fire. Once the French police decided to search the house of the current PSG president, it means they have concrete evidence in their hands. Hence, the future of Paris Saint-Germain is now uncertain.
Assuming that PSG no longer receives financial support from the Qatari owners, they will have to return to their old ways with limited resources, as in the story of "The Old Man and the Golden Fish."
