PSG needed to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but failed - Jerome Rothen
Former Paris Saint-Germain player Jerome Rothen has said that the French champions "needed" to replace previous talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer but have "missed" their opportunity to do so now the transfer window is shut.
The ex-France international hails from the Parisian suburb of Chatenay-Malabry and played for PSG between 2004-10 -- the longest spell of his career at any one club.
Rothen, 38, feels that although the French capital outfit have "lost" Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Manchester United, it will not necessarily make them weaker in the UEFA Champions League.
"If you compare the strength of the squad from last season to this, you have lost Ibra," Rothen conceded when speaking on RMC radio. "However, there were always question marks over him in the Champions League. We will not complain that he is no longer here."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's departure has not been sufficiently addressed, says Jerome Rothen.Former AS Monaco and Rangers man, Rothen, says his former employers should have tried to replace Ibrahimovic with Juventus' Gonzalo Higuain and their failure to do so means they lack a "true No. 9," despite Edinson Cavani's presence at Parc des Princes.
"They tried to replace [Ibrahimovic] him but they failed in bids to sign Neymar and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, they stayed with their clubs, while Higuain went to Juventus. He [Higuan] should perhaps have been the true No. 9 PSG need. For me, they needed to replace Ibra but they missed their chance."
Instead, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) have decided to put their faith in misfiring Cavani as their star striker this season in a bid to help him live up to his €64 million fee from back in 2013 -- still a Ligue 1-record spend.
Rothen expects "better" from the Uruguay international without Ibrahimovic but feels improvements have been made in other areas.
"Elsewhere, [Grzegorz] Krychowiak is better than [Benjamin] Stambouli was and [Thomas] Meunier replaces [Gregory] Van der Wiel. [Hatem] Ben Arfa enjoyed a fantastic season in Nice and at this level; he can offer a bit more."
"[Edinson] Cavani should be better without Ibra. They have also replaced [Laurent] Blanc and that is not so bad. The problem is that none of these new recruits started against Monaco."
Recently appointed PSG coach Unai Emery suffered his first competitive defeat in a 3-1 loss away at Monaco last weekend. Calls are growing for him to start introducing some of his summer arrivals into the starting XI ahead of the beginning of Champions League action after the international break.
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The ex-France international hails from the Parisian suburb of Chatenay-Malabry and played for PSG between 2004-10 -- the longest spell of his career at any one club.
Rothen, 38, feels that although the French capital outfit have "lost" Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Manchester United, it will not necessarily make them weaker in the UEFA Champions League.
"If you compare the strength of the squad from last season to this, you have lost Ibra," Rothen conceded when speaking on RMC radio. "However, there were always question marks over him in the Champions League. We will not complain that he is no longer here."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's departure has not been sufficiently addressed, says Jerome Rothen."They tried to replace [Ibrahimovic] him but they failed in bids to sign Neymar and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, they stayed with their clubs, while Higuain went to Juventus. He [Higuan] should perhaps have been the true No. 9 PSG need. For me, they needed to replace Ibra but they missed their chance."
Instead, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) have decided to put their faith in misfiring Cavani as their star striker this season in a bid to help him live up to his €64 million fee from back in 2013 -- still a Ligue 1-record spend.
Rothen expects "better" from the Uruguay international without Ibrahimovic but feels improvements have been made in other areas.
"Elsewhere, [Grzegorz] Krychowiak is better than [Benjamin] Stambouli was and [Thomas] Meunier replaces [Gregory] Van der Wiel. [Hatem] Ben Arfa enjoyed a fantastic season in Nice and at this level; he can offer a bit more."
"[Edinson] Cavani should be better without Ibra. They have also replaced [Laurent] Blanc and that is not so bad. The problem is that none of these new recruits started against Monaco."
Recently appointed PSG coach Unai Emery suffered his first competitive defeat in a 3-1 loss away at Monaco last weekend. Calls are growing for him to start introducing some of his summer arrivals into the starting XI ahead of the beginning of Champions League action after the international break.
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