After just about surviving his first season at Paris Saint-Germain, all eyes were on how Luis Campos would rebuild at one of Europe's most demanding clubs. The French champions' lead football advisor relieved manager Christophe Galtier of his duties and sold Neymar, while he did not stand in the way of Lionel Messi departing either.
After hiring Luis Enrique, his reported fourth choice to replace Galtier, Campos went about assembling a new-look squad. One of his first moves was to sign Goncalo Ramos on a loan deal from Benfica with an obligation to buy. Although they didn't send the Portuguese side a cent this summer, Ramos will someday cost the Parisians up to €80m.
On the surface, it made some sense. PSG were rife with uncertainty in regards to Kylian Mbappe's future, but knew they were moving on from Messi and Neymar. A forward — of any description — was necessary. However, Ramos wasn't the only attacker to walk through the entrance door at Parc des Princes during the transfer window.
Of the 11 signings Campos sanctioned in a that three-month period, six were attacking players who would be made available to Luis Enrique in 2023-24. That doesn't include Xavi Simons, who was immediately loaned out to RB Leipzig but is expected back at some stage. Factor in that Mbappe eventually opted to stay, and suddenly the cupboard was far from bare.
Someone was bound to become a spare part, and right now that looks to be Ramos. The obligation to pay an initial €65m (£57m/$70m) already feels like an unnecessary financial burden that will need to be dealt with in the coming months, and is a sign that despite claiming to be more sensible spenders, PSG remain prone to the odd reckless investment as they search for a winning formula that will work outside of France.
