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Paris Saint-Germain will have a big void to fill should Zlatan Ibrahimovic leave the club next summer, but the French giants are targeting Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Neymar as possible options, according to reports.
L’Equipe (h/t French football expert Jonathan Johnson) claimed Ibrahimovic is tempted by the possibility of a move to Major League Soccer when his contract expires at the conclusion of this campaign.Johnson also cited that L’Equipe reported Neymar, Ronaldo and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski as players who the French giants will target next summer.
Here’s a look at the front page of the French publication, which suggests Zlatan could be on the move to Miami to join David Beckham’s proposed MLS franchise:
Replacing Ibrahimovic would be a mightily difficult ask for PSG given just how well the mercurial Swede has fared at the Parc des Princes since his move from Milan. Here’s how Neymar and Ronaldo have compared to the Swede so far this season in their respective league matches:
| Ibrahimovic | Ronaldo | Neymar | |
| Apps (Sub) | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| Goals | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Assists | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Shots per game | 5.4 | 7.6 | 5 |
| Key passes per game | 1.6 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
| Dribbles per game | 1 | 1.7 | 4.1 |
WhoScored.com
Ronaldo is a player who has regularly been linked with a move to the French champions, with Jose Felix Diaz of Marca claiming they made a whopping €125 million (£90 million) offer for the Portuguese earlier this year. If the Parisians want a player who can come into the setup and immediately replace Ibrahimovic, the former United man would be the best candidate.
After all, Ronaldo is a player who is morphing into more and more of an orthodox No. 9, the position Ibrahimovic would be vacating. Even if PSG opted for Edinson Cavani to be stationed centrally instead of on the flanks, an advanced role on the left would also suit the 30-year-old forward.
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Ronaldo would be an exceptional immediate replacement for Zlatan.
Most significantly, Ronaldo, like Zlatan, is a regular source of goals. However, that kind of output is something Neymar is also becoming much more familiar with. As we can see here courtesy of Rafael Hernandez, the Brazil skipper is relishing being the main man at Barcelona after the recent injury to Lionel Messi:
While Neymar may not be an immediate replacement for Ibrahimovic, if PSG are willing to spend big, big money on a player to come into the team to fill a long-term slot he’d be a better option than Ronaldo. In addition, according to magazine Don Balon (h/t Will Giles of Metro) the Brazilian wants to join a club where he can be the key figure.
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Neymar would be a sensational long-term option for PSG.
There’d be potential for Neymar to do that for seasons to come at the Parc des Princes, given he’s seven years Ronaldo’s junior. But despite the aforementioned reports, it’s difficult to see why Barcelona would be looking to sell a player who is destined for long-term superstardom.
As noted by Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez, Neymar is really leading from the front for the Blaugrana at the moment:
Which player would be the most likely replacement for Ibrahimovic?
With Ibrahimovic’s contract set to expire at the end of this season, it’ll be intriguing to see what direction PSG go in should he walk away from the club. Typically, they’ve had no issue paying big money for players at the peak of their powers, like Ronaldo, but perhaps the departure of an ageing talisman will alter the focus slightly, prompting a pursuit of someone more youthful, like Neymar.
At this stage, Ronaldo seems the most attainable of the two. Not only would Real be more willing to accept a massive amount of money, given the Portuguese will be 31 by the time the next season begins, but the forward has achieved pretty much all he can at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neymar, by contrast, looks to have a long way to go in his Barcelona career yet.