Presnel Kimpembe out injured, Lucas Beraldo in next January?

PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe, sidelined since February 26 after tearing his Achilles tendon, is unlikely to return before the end of the season according to reports emerging on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

Despite initial hopes for a quick recovery and a potential comeback in January comeback, it's now believed that Kimpembe won't be able to return to the field for the remainder of the season or the largest part of it, at the very least.

RMC Sport reported that Kimpembe, whose contract with PSG expires in June 2024, may not play again this season. This is crucial news concerning Kimpembe's future in Paris and the outlook of PSG's defense for the second half of the season.

While a key player at PSG, Kimpembe's injury worries have been a problem for too long for a club that simply cannot spend a season constantly thinking about whether or not one of their main players will be available or banged up.

On top of that, there is the own personal problem the player will have to deal with next summer when his contract runs out. Will he prefer to re-sign a (most probably) low-money deal with Paris prioritizing his higher status around PSG, or will he chase the bag elsewhere?

For what matters now, it's been reported that the French world champion is considering undergoing another surgery, which would rule him out for the remainder of the season. The other option is to try and play through pain, although he's been testing himself in training for a few weeks and it looks like he's not quite pleased with that possibility.

Amidst these concerns, PSG is reportedly close to signing Brazilian defender wunderkind Lucas Beraldo of Sau Paulo.

The 20-year-old youngster is expected to join PSG in the coming weeks, even more knowing that Kimpembe might be out for the next six months leaving a gaping hole in the middle of PSG's defense.

According to the latest reports, PSG and Sao Paulo are nearing a deal quoted at around @20m. No information has been leaked regarding potential future payments related to bonuses that could be baked into the final offer and agreement.