Is PSG's superstar era over? Sensible summer signings suggest French giants are done chasing the rich and famous

Since they brought on Neymar in 2017, the Parisians have always aimed for the big names, going after players either at their peak or at the brink of it - outspending the rest of Europe for players sure to be on the Ballon d'Or shortlist.

But that strategy has yielded limited success. This time, though, things might just be different. Ugarte, agreeable and entirely acceptable that he is, could be the start of a more intelligent strategy, the true birth of a project that the Parisians have promised for years.

Historically, PSG haven't been very good at summer recruitment. The Parisians adopted something of a pseudo-Galacticos policy, strengthening in similar positions with the biggest names possible. And it all made sense in the first few years after the Parisians were bought by the Qatari Sports Investment Group in 2011. The big names came through the doors in droves.

First, it was Javier Pastore. Next it was Thiago Silva, followed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The summer after, it was Napoli's Edinson Cavani. This all came in the strange middling era before everyone else started shrugging their shoulders at €50m price tags. In 2013, the €65m (£56m/$70m) spent on Cavani seemed like a lot of money.

And this all made sense for a side still trying to establish itself. Paris was a big market, with cool kits and a legendary stadium. The early moves of the QSI era were tactical in some sense, but also marketable in others. PSG, in effect, had to prove that they were worthy of attention.

But it all got very silly, very soon.

Six summers ago, Neymar became available, having fallen out with Barcelona boss Luis Enquire and become frustrated by the lack of attention in a team that included Messi and Luis Suarez. PSG broke out the state-funded chequebook in style, splashing an eye-watering €222m (£197m/$237m) on their first exorbitant superstar.

In isolation, Neymar was an excellent signing. Money was no object, and Neymar was still Neymar. But the signings that followed muddied things.

Mbappe was brought in because he was French and good. Messi arrived in 2020 because he was available. He was then complemented by Achraf Hakimi - the addition of Europe's most attacking right-back to shore up a team that badly needed defensive stability.

And finally, they shelled out €12m (£10.3/$14.6m) per year on Gianluigi Donnarumma - signing the most expensive goalkeeper in the world when they still had Keylor Navas between the sticks.

Last year, with the Parisians finally financially restricted after a number of years misinterpreting the minutiae of financial fair play, they spent over €100m on three centre-midfielders. One of them, Renato Sanches, hadn't started more than 20 games in a season since 2016. The other two were, quite simply, the wrong fit.

And now, the financial restrictions are off again. Tradition dictates that PSG will find the most expensive superstar on the market, with the biggest ego, entourage and social media following, and bring him to Paris immediately.

The issue is, they have already lost one, and could see another depart. Mbappe has notified the club that he will not be renewing his contract, and has always had one eye on Madrid. If the right bid comes in, Mbappe will be playing in white next year.

And there aren't really any other big stars available. Vinicius Jr just signed a massive contract to stay in Madrid, and took Cristiano Ronaldo's old number. Erling Haaland will not leave Manchester City. Salah is in his 30s, and Liverpool would never sell him.

So, PSG, finally, are forced to look elsewhere. Ugarte was the start, but the recruitment team, led by value-for-money guru Luis Campos, has already made some moves. Marco Asensio has been brought in on a free after failing to agree a new deal with Madrid. He is not the player that he used to be - a torn ACL stunted his career growth. But he is still a top-quality right-winger, a player good enough to play for PSG who is, positionally, an adequate fill-in for Messi.

Mallorca's Lee Kang-in is also soon to be a PSG player, according to Foot Mercato. An attacking midfielder, the South Korean was a crucial player for one of La Liga's biggest surprises last year, leading the plucky club to a top-half finish with 13 goal contributions. Where, exactly, he fits in remains to be seen. But he will certainly be a sound addition for less than €20m.

Suddenly, PSG have strengthened their starting XI for relatively cheap, without adding any massive egos to the dressing room. Next up is supposedly Bernardo Silva. The Parisians agreed on a deal for the Portuguese last summer, but were unable to make the transfer happen. Campos has a pre-existing relationship with Silva, who has nothing left to win at City.

Campos is also after a centre-back, and will benefit from a market flush with options. Although the arrival of Milan Skriniar should be of some benefit, the former-Inter man is similar in profile to Marquinhos, and the Parisians ideally need a left-footed option. Josko Gvardiol would be a top-tier target, but Campos, the savvy recruiter that he is, will likely have a more affordable player or two in mind.

There are, admittedly, some complicating factors here. Mbappe's presumptive exit leaves the Parisians with a hole up front. Ironically, the player Mbappe openly coveted as a teammate might be an option. Randal Kolo Muani is ready to move on from Frankfurt. He will cost an unfriendly €100m (£89m/$107m), but for one of the best strikers in Europe, that number is simply the going rate. If he's the most expensive signing and arrives with a host of others at agreeable prices, PSG will have done well.

This all comes at an opportune time, too. PSG could face an extensive turnover this summer. Sergio Ramos and Messi have been let go. Mbappe seems likely to follow them out of the door. A host of loanees seem sure to depart, too. The Parisians might have finally found a buyer for the rogue Mauro Icardi, while Leandro Paredes, Julian Draxler, Gini Wijnaldum and Keylor Navas should all be off the books.

They will be restricted by the long-term absence of Presnel Kimpembe, who suffered an Achilles rupture towards the end of last year — one that could rule him out of most of the season. Meanwhile, Neymar underwent ankle surgery in the spring, and likely won't be fully back up to speed by August (that is, if he's still around.)

Not everything will go smoothly here. A loanee or two might have to stay, while dead weight is not so easily shed in the midst of a few weeks. But PSG face a squad stripped, and have plenty of cash to upgrade it. All that is left is to ensure that they don't waste it.

Still, there are some problems in Paris. The club hierarchy remains a mess, with Campos — officially a football consultant — taking control of the transfer business while the club is in search of a new manager. In effect, the new coach, reportedly Julian Naglesmann, might well join in a transfer window when the team has already been assembled for him. This is not something that would be easy to accept for a manager who had a major say in recruitment at Bayern Munich just 12 months ago.

Galtier himself left a mess to sort out, too. The manager employed a hyper-specific 3-4-1-2 formation, leaving PSG with a chunk of centre-backs and no natural wide players. The Parisians also have a glut of vaguely similar centre-midfielders, but lack creativity in the position.

And more fundamentally, Nagelsmann will likely have his own ideas as to how his team should play football. Ugarte, Silva and Asensio are all versatile players, while teenager Warren Zaire-Emery is the kind of midfielder the manager has been a specialist in developing. But whether that group will mix effectively with Neymar, and also conform to the ideas of a new manager, is up for debate.

So, the Parisians have shown glimpses of the sensible summer window that has needed to happen for years. Ugarte, Asensio and, soon, Silva are all measured signings, the very antithesis of the impulsive arrogance of recent years.

But where, exactly, do PSG want to go with this? It is no secret that the Parisians covet the Champions League. They have, in fact, been a perfect case study on how to not win the competition for nearly 10 years, celebrating their annual failed attempt in consistently dramatic fashion.

Mbappe's presumptive departure clouds things even more. If he does as expected, and leaves the club by the end of August, PSG are almost certain not to win the competition this year. But, should the Parisians get the handsome fee they are supposedly requesting, the money should be there for something of a rebuild.

Football teams, for the most part, need star players. Mbappe fits that bill, arguably too perfectly (it's his shameless autonomy that is driving him out of Paris.) When he goes, PSG will undoubtedly be tempted to go for another big name. Perhaps a foolish pursuit of Harry Kane will be on the cards. Or, they can make the most of their cash, and assemble something for the new manager to work with. An Mbappe-less version of PSG can still win Ligue 1 quite comfortably, while the new recruits could help build a far more balanced side.

These sensible signings won't pay off immediately. But in five years, and if PSG hold their nerve in the transfer market, there might just be a proper project to reflect on in Paris.