EXCLUSIVE
Paris Saint-Germain defender Thomas Meunier is confident that the Ligue 1 side are on track to become one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Get 16/1 on PSG to win the Champions League
Neymar is on the brink of signing for the Parc des Princes outfit, despite a poor campaign in which they failed to win Ligue 1 and crashed out of the Champions League to an embarrassing 6-1 defeat at Barcelona’s Camp Nou.
Despite those blows, PSG are hopeful of signing both Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and the Brazil international forward, who is ready to leave Barca for France.
And Meunier believes that this could become the norm very quickly.
“If the club continues to grow like it has, guys won’t want to go to Barcelona but will instead want PSG,” he told Goal.
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The 25-year-old was speaking in relation to his own performances and said that while he can still improve, he doubts he will join a bigger club.
“I think that there’s still a chance for me to improve my level, especially with regards my consistency,” he explained. “But on the level of the team, there’s not much above PSG.”
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One vital ingredient is required for them to win the Champions League, he believes.
“Time,” he said. “It can only be built around that.
“The club has been very impatient and says the Champions League is its priority. It’s ambitious and it has the means to attract the players to win the competition.
“I could bet €10,000 on who will win the league, but I’d not put a single euro on who will win the Champions League. There are too many criteria in the games and you play against teams who are so experienced.
“It’s not yet in the culture of the club to think like it’s a giant, for the moment. There is something that must be instilled in the club with regards its players, who must live for the club. It’s not something you get straight away, but is earned like at Real Madrid or Barca.
“This mentality is not yet integrated into PSG because there have been so many changes, even at managerial level. We need to find stability. If we manage to keep the same core, the same coach, it can happen easily. For me, it’s not our time yet.
“If the club could reach the last four, that would be good.”
Even the arrival of Dani Alves, who was whisked from under the noses of Manchester City to become Meunier’s main challenge for the right-back spot, will not offer an immediate change to the culture of the club.
“We are not at Barcelona, where players come from La Masia and know each other perfectly,” he continued. “What he will bring is his experience and his mentality. He’s a warrior and can bring a little bit of anger. We missed a scoundrel in our team last season.”
PSG meet Tottenham in an ICC encounter on Saturday, having drawn 1-1 in their previous friendlies against Paris FC and Roma.
