Five new signings, and more on the way: How PSG's new-look line-up is shaping up ahead of 2023-24

Donnarumma wasn't quite at his Euro 2020 winning best last year. PSG were poor at the back for long stretches, and their goalkeeper's poor distribution and occasional errors did little to help. It led to some calling for Keylor Navas, eventually loaned to Nottingham Forest, to take over the No.1 shirt between the sticks.

But the starting position will undoubtedly be his on the first day of the season. Despite his litany of mistakes last year, Donnarumma remains a world-class shot-stopper, capable of winning games on instinct alone. The big question remains as to whether he can become the kind of distributor that Luis Enrique will require. But it's easy to forget that he's still just 24, and surely young enough to add more to his game.

Hakimi endured a difficult end to the 2022-23 campaign, with personal issues dominating the headlines, and a series of poor showings marring what had been an excellent season. But in a footballing sense, he is still among the best right-backs in the world. Pacey, excellent going forward and an underrated tackler, Hakimi has a rare skillset.

There will be some areas to improve here. Hakimi will need to become a better passer from deep and adapt to playing with a winger who prefers to sit higher up the pitch than Messi did for the last two years. Still, these should be small issues. If fit, he's among the first names on the team sheet.

The centre-back will surely be hoping for a bounce-back season after disappointing so far in 2023. Marquinhos was short of his sparkling best, culpable for a few major mistakes in Ligue 1, and given the runaround by an aging Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting in the Champions League.

Although he remained an excellent passer, his heading and tackling numbers per 90 were far down, while he appeared leggy for long stretches. But Marquinhos is still just 29, and with a revitalised defence around him, will be given a new lease on life at Parc des Princes. Besides, it's unlikely that a new manager will simply bench the long-time club captain.

PSG have the luxury of choice here. Skriniar could sneakily be one of the better signings in recent memory. He was an excellent central defender for his last few years at Inter, a crucial part in one of Europe's best back threes. And he cannot be blamed for wanting to take a step into the Paris spotlight, especially with a centre-back spot theoretically open.

But he will likely face competition from big-money signing Lucas Hernandez — who should be in contention for a starting spot once he fully recovers from a serious knee injury sustained at the 2022 World Cup. For Luis Enrique, though, choice is a good thing. Count on Skriniar to be the go-to centre-back for the first few months of the season. In 2024, though, things could look different.

Mendes doesn't really face any stiff competition for his spot at left-back. Although Juan Bernat is an agreeable backup, the Spaniard is simply not good enough to be a regular for a top team. That leaves the 21-year-old Mendes with plenty of opportunities to continue to develop.

He linked up with Mbappe well for most of last season, and had seven assists to his name before seeing injuries derail his campaign. Still, Mendes played enough to be crowned Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year, a feat he could comfortably replicate if he stays fit.

A few eyebrows were raised when Verratti signed a long-term contract in December 2022. Although he is among the best in the world when firing on all cylinders, the Italian isn't fit often enough to be relied upon for a full campaign. Still, when he is ready to go, he'll be a lock to start. Where exactly he will play in PSG's midfield three, though, remains to be seen.

New signing Ugarte is more of a box-to-box midfielder, but could be used as a No.6. Verratti is a different type of player, but likes to occupy the same spaces. Perhaps he could be forced into a deeper role — something that could be a problem against more attacking sides. For now, that's probably a good problem for Enrique to have.

A sensible signing? From PSG? The €60million (£51.6m/$64m) spent on Ugarte seemed remarkably shrewd for a club that tends to splash big on the wrong players. Ugarte offers a lot as either a No.8 or No.6, with his excellent tackling ability and defensive awareness making him a potentially world-class ball-winning midfielder.

There isn't much to his game going forward, and his distribution could do with some work, but at 22, the Parisians will feel they can surely develop him. There will be some competition in the middle of the park, with Vitinha, for one, also hoping to get a look-in. But Ugarte should be the starter.

There are three options here. Ruiz is the most likely one. The Spaniard was perhaps the only reliable performer of PSG's disappointing midfield trio last season, offering a combination of work rate and creativity that was badly missing in the middle of the park. But he isn't an overwhelmingly exciting player.

Zaire-Emery is. At just 17, he is by far the youngest player set to be in contention for a spot in the first team. And he deserves a look, too. The academy standout perhaps wasn't on the pitch as much as PSG fans would have liked, but he was a composed presence and reliable passer when deployed in his natural central midfield role. The standard issues of physicality for young central midfielders were also not much of a problem — Zaire-Emery is strong enough to compete with even the most imposing at the position. Tactical discipline will be a worry, as will the management of his young legs. But he is ready to be a regular already.

And then, there's the dream signing. The Parisians reportedly had Silva ready to go last year, agreeing personal terms with the Manchester City midfielder. But the deal fell through, and he stayed in Manchester for an extra campaign. This year, he might just be available again. And if the interest is still there, Silva would be a massive, if rather expensive, addition.

Perhaps one of the best free agent signings of the summer so far, Asensio is a guarantee to play on the right for the Parisians next term. Despite struggling with various injuries, Asensio remains a very useful winger, with a terrific left foot and admirable work rate. He's not exactly a prolific goalscorer, but he still hit double digits for Real Madrid last year, and is a perennial threat from distance. Add to that the fact he has played under Luis Enrique for Spain, and he should be able to make the transition to France seamlessly.

However, the manager might have some concerns here. Asensio's injury record is worrying, while his ability to play with an attacking full-back like Hakimi hasn't really been tested. Still, here is a player who could slot into any top class side. He is expected to do just that in Paris.

Mbappe will likely not be a PSG player next year. And although the Parisians will undoubtedly be less prolific without their star striker, they will be more tactically flexible. But it does offer an immediate problem in terms of who grabs the goals. PSG are reportedly considering a number of strikers to fill the Mbappe-sized hole in the front line.

Kolo Muani is supposedly the No.1 target, with the Parisians prepared to pay up to €100m for his services. And it makes a lot of sense. Kolo Muani has shown at Eintracht Frankfurt that he can play centrally or in the left half space, and he is a capable goalscorer and dribbler. He isn't Mbappe-lite, but there are enough similarities — and added versatility — to make Kolo Muani the right man to lead the line. The more interesting question is perhaps who else the Parisians can add around him.

Assuming Neymar stays, this will all likely be a bit fluid. Neymar isn't a left-winger these days, instead preferring to occupy spaces between the lines and dribble into the final third. It is not the kind of role for positional purists, but he is simply too good cutting inside to warrant sticking him out wide. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. Mendes likes to attack on the left, while the left-sided central midfielder, likely Ugarte, will be ordered to cover the space he vacates.

And this is where Neymar's tactical intelligence comes in. The Brazilian knows when to carry, and when to move the ball. He has become a useful playmaker over the years, and will likely need to protect his legs, too. The left side of the pitch, and its associated tactical intricacies, will need figuring out. But Neymar should start there.