PSG keeping close tabs on Dortmund star Diallo

Last summer, Abdou Diallo had an important choice to make. 

Courted by Borussia Dortmund and Lyon, France's Under-21 captain made the decision to remain in the Bundesliga, swapping Mainz for BVB and went on to take in a total of 38 matches across all competitions at the centre and left side of defence.

Back home, the Tours-born centre-back's stock remains high. On Monday, the German edition of the Transfermarkt website claimed Paris Saint-Germain are closely monitoring the player, an assertion that Goal can now confirm.

However, it must be stressed that Diallo, who has a contract with the Bundesliga runners-up until 2023, is settled in North Rhine-Westphalia and has the confidence of coach Lucien Favre, who would undoubtedly be reluctant to sell a proven performer.

In addition, the 23-year-old is far from the only name on PSG's list, with Thomas Tuchel emphasising with regularity that his squad needs defensive reinforcements all over the pitch.

Indeed, the German coach insisted that links with Antoine Griezmann were untrue as the Ligue 1 side have no need for additional attackers, but Goal has learned that PSG have not yet formalised their interest in Diallo as they endeavour to identify the best possible deals for the club.

Mentions of Tuchel coaching both Mainz and Dortmund, both sides that Diallo has played for, hold little weight, too, as both individuals were at the clubs at different times and as such never crossed paths to forge a player-manager bond.

Still, stranger things have happened in football's transfer market and the €28 million (£24m/$31m) acquisition's future in Germany should not be taken for granted.

While Favre is currently counting on Diallo's considerable quality ahead of Dortmund's push for silverware in the 2019-20 season, one would be remiss to forget the eye-catching pull of the wealth and wages on offer in the French capital.

At the other end of the pitch at Parc des Princes, PSG may be facing a fight to hold on to World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, who asserted that he wants "more responsibility" as a player whether that is at PSG or elsewhere upon receiving his award for Ligue 1 Player of the Year.

Les Parisiens moved to quash any doubts over the striker's future with a statement released on Monday, but player power has proven to be a powerful thing in recent years and a considerable rebuild at Real Madrid has many pondering the youngster's next move.