PSG still tracking Olympique Lyon youngster

Last winter, in an attempt to bolster their squad, PSG explored different options to bring a forward to the French capital. One of those players was pursued until the finish line of the transfer window but was denied a move away from Olympique Lyon. Paris Saint-Germain still want to sign the young man.

According to information obtained and revealed by L'Equipe on Saturday, PSG will make another go at signing Lyon's forward and 19-year-old French prospect Rayan Cherki next summer.

Luis Campos, the sporting advisor of PSG, is "far from giving up" on signing the national wunderkind, and "hopes to achieve that goal next summer."

A priority last winter, everything points toward PSG still being interested in landing Cherki come July and a new transfer window. L'Equipe revealed on Saturday such interest is still there from PSG's side, although Lyon's president Jean-Michel Aulas straight rejected all offers arriving at his office last January to pry the player away from Lyon.

The French newspaper says that after failing in his effort last winter, Campos "is now thinking about the best approach and the best way to convince OL to sell Cherki to PSG."

The final offer submitted by Paris Saint-Germain throughout the winter transfer market is quoted at €20m by the outlet, adding that the aforementioned sum already included some bonuses.

L'Equipe also revealed that PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi "got involved" in the transfer operation, in a "last chance" attempt to sign Cherki for his club.

PSG still want to sign Rayan Cherki but Premier League clubs might join them

Perhaps more concerning for PSG, though, is the report of "several big English and German clubs" getting involved in the pursuit of Cherki's signature. L'Equipe particularly mentions Newcastle United as the most threatening option when it comes to signing Cherki.

"Newcastle started a project built around a young core of players with high potential and those are the main targets of the club," says L'Equipe. The Premier League club "made initial contacts last winter," reveals the French outlet, although they "never got much further with their approach."

Of course, any sort of bidding war for Cherki, whether or not the interest ends up being real from Newcastle's side, would make Cherki's price raise and complicate matters for a financially struggling PSG that will need to fix their accounts next season to comply with Financial Fair Play rules.

More than anything, says L'Equipe, Campos wants "to avoid a soap opera" and mostly a "new disillusionment" if Paris Saint-Germain fails to land the young French player for the second time in as many attempts.