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6 months ago
33 ARTICLE AD
It's an unexpected association which sometimes creates big stirs internally, but which has benefited Paris Saint-Germain so far. Appointed football advisor to the Parisian club by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi in the summer of 2022, thus helping to retain Kylian Mbappé, Luis Campos had to deal with one of his predecessors, Antero Henrique, who returned to the club three years after his departure to give a helping hand on sales. Since exfiltrated to a position of sports director of the Qatar Stars League, Antero Henrique retains a certain influence with the Qatari leaders of PSG. Which does not necessarily please Luis Campos, who likes to have free rein. We must not forget, however, that it was his compatriot who managed to sell Neymar, Verratti and co, freeing up payroll and helping to finance the Parisian transfer window.
If Luis Campos was chosen for his market expertise and his ability to unearth the talents of the future, he is not the only decision-maker, since in Doha, we also like to influence certain choices on the transfer market. A notable example? The Randal Kolo Muani case. He had been targeted by the Qatari staff and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, while Campos was not convinced and pushed for Gonçalo Ramos. The two attackers were ultimately recruited, while numerous denials were issued by the Campos clan regarding Parisian interest in RKM…
Hiccups in the transfer window
Two zones of influence therefore sometimes clash, when there is no agreement on the merits of a recruitment. Ousmane Dembélé has long been desired by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, a file which was slowed down in 2022. The Zinedine Zidane case, to sit on the sidelines, was also carried by Qatar. This obviously raises the eyebrows of Campos, who likes to have control over the club's sporting policy and was pushing to bring in Christophe Galtier. He doesn't necessarily have too much to complain about, like the cases he was able to conclude with the help of Jorge Mendes (Vitinha, Renato Sanches, Fabian Ruiz, Carlos Soler, Manuel Ugarte, Marco Asensio, Kang- In Lee, Bradley Barcola, Gonçalo Ramos).
This duality sometimes offers sequences that make you smile. For example, in 2022, Valencia received two proposals from PSG on the same day for Carlos Soler. The first, a dry transfer, was the work of Luis Campos. The second, a loan with an option to purchase, was signed by Antero Henrique, who was not convinced of this recruitment otherwise. This mode of operation, ultimately imposed in a higher place, inevitably raises questions, and seriously annoyed Luis Campos after his first summer transfer window for PSG.
Dissensions on the tracks followed
Aware of the relative confidence placed in him, he then let it slip that he could leave the club in the wake of Mbappé. The latter had heard of the arrivals of Lewandowski, Bernardo Silva, Skriniar and others, and had made his dissatisfaction known just a few months after his unexpected extension. This led to a major moment of tension, relayed by the Spanish press. Luis Campos, to justify these failures, did not hesitate to place the blame on Antero Henrique.
This battle for influence could come back to the fore during the next summer transfer window. With the Luis Diaz case as the first case. Clearly targeted by Qatar, and not by Luis Campos, who favors another type of profile, the Liverpool winger is the priority of the Qatari staff. A file led by Antero Henrique with the approval of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. And too bad if this displeases Luis Campos, who does not hesitate to share his skepticism via some of his networks. It remains to be seen whether this situation is sustainable over time.
