First he was chosen as the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo, now to that of Lionel Messi and maybe Kylian Mbappé: Goncalo Ramos will be the first piece of the puzzle for a storm that may soon be renewed at Paris St. Germain. As the two clubs announced on Monday evening, the Portuguese striker is moving from Benfica to the French champions and is expected to fill the gap left by the departure of world champion Messi and the likely departure of world champion Mbappé.
“I am very proud and happy to move to Paris St. Germain,” Ramos is quoted as saying in the Paris club media. “PSG are one of the biggest clubs in the world with one of the best squads.”
International breakthrough in the World Cup round of 16 against Switzerland
The attacker is very familiar with filling in large footprints. He hit the radar of world football last December when he was surprisingly chosen over five-time Ballon d’Or winners CR7 in the World Cup round of 16 against Switzerland in the Portuguese strike center – and his three-goal and one-assist line-up more than justified.
Since then, the deduction hasn’t gotten colder for the 22-year-old called “Pistoleiro”: Four direct goals in the two Champions League round of 16 games against Club Brugge, champions in the Portuguese league with his youth club Benfica, plus a total of 19 goals in 30 league games in the Portuguese league – more than enough arguments for PSG to invest a base fee of 65 million euros, which can increase to 80 million with any bonuses.
Financial fair play: Why the Portuguese only comes on loan at first
For the time being, the new hope in Paris will only be a loan player: In order not to have any problems with the financial fair play regulations, PSG Goncalo Ramos has only been loaned out by Benfica for one year, after which a purchase option will apply, as PSG announced.
A legal trick common in professional football that PSG had already used when signing Hugo Ekitike last year. Background: Paris has already spent a lot of money in the current transfer period, but hardly received any – and still no certainty whether the big rain of money for Mbappé will still fall.
For Eintracht Frankfurt, the announcement is no reason to relax: According to French media reports, PSG is still keeping an eye on Randal Kolo Muani, regardless of Goncalo Ramos. Should Mbappé leave the club, both could form the new storm trio in Paris together with Neymar or newcomer Ousmane Dembelé.
