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Report: PSG land Ibrahimovic, Silva

IbraSilva (Getty Images)

Paris-St. Germain's attempt to become a serious contender on the European soccer scene took a giant step forward on Thursday.

According to Italian publication Gazzetta Dello Sport, AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi confirmed the sales of striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and centerback Thiago Silva to PSG for a reported â‚¬62 million in a move that nets the French club two of the biggest stars in the world at their respective positions.

After adding Argentine striker Ezequiel Lavezzi from Napoli, Carlo Ancelotti's squad now has an abundance of world-class talent from front to back. With Lavezzi and Ibrahimovic up top, Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore pulling the strings in the midfield alongisde French international Jeremy Menez and the likes of Silva, Uruguayan international Diego Lugano and former Chelsea centerback Alex in defense, PSG, which finished in second in Ligue 1 last season, is a juggernaut on paper.

U.S. soccer fans will get a chance to see the new-look PSG up close later this month. The club will play against Chelsea at Yankee Stadium on July 22 before facing D.C. United at RFK Stadium on July 28 as part of the World Football Challenge.

As for AC Milan, losing the two starters is a blow to the club's roster but frees up significant financial resources in both transfer fee and salary to retool and rebuild. Manchester City strikers Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko are two reported targets to replace Ibrahimovic for the Rossoneri.

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Do you see PSG becoming the next world power after this move? Still not sold that this team can compete with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Manchester City on the European stage? Planning on attending PSG's WFC matches now?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Well, you’d have thought that PSG would have been in for a cakewalk last year in Ligue 1, but… Anyway, Carlo won’t have any excuses if May rolls around and they’re languishing in third place.

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  2. If you think for a second I’m playing with a team other than Barca, Man U, Madrid; you got another thing coming.

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  3. I am confused as to how AC Milan will save the €150 million over two years that Silvio the Great claims it will. Ibrahimovic was reportedly making €12 million/year (so €24 million total) and Silva will supposedly be making €7.5 million/year at PSG and, while he was probably previously earning less (I think I read somewhere that his “new” deal was for €6 million-a-year plus bonuses), for simplicity’s sake I will assume that he would have earned the same at Milan (so €15 million over two years). This is a total of €39 million in saved wages. Even if the transfer fee is the €70 million figure that some sources are reporting, this is a total of €109 million. And while that is a very impressive number (and far more than I have it), it is still €41 million short of Berlusconi’s claimed savings … so what am I missing? Did these guys get some hefty bonuses or did they use a disproportionate amount of non-salary amenities (e.g. multiple massages a day, killed it at the buffet table) paid for by AC Milan?

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  4. They were great in 07(obviously since they won the whole tournament) But in 09 they were in the UEFA Cup and in 08 they lost to Arsenal and 10 they absolutely destroyed by Manchester United both in the final 16. With Zlatan they had a disappointing loss to Tottenham but with Zlatan they beat Arsenal and were eliminated by Barcelona(there is no shame losing to them).

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  5. From 07-’10 they were pretty much crap in Italy and in the CL. Ibrahimovic joining helped change that. And then Inter suddenly became crap for the past 2 years

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  6. Ugh, I love PSG, but I’m not such a huge fan of Ibra. I guess it’s always better to have him on your team than play against him though.

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  7. PS that’s no slight on PSG, I think they’ll be a great team next season, but really, it’s preseason against a 3rd division Austrian team…

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  8. Well, I can’t speak for everyone on here, but I’m willing to bet pretty much no one had a clue PSG played a 3rd division Austrian team yesterday. Who cares about the preseason, especially when you are playing 3rd division Austrian teams. I’m fairly certain my coed team would do well against them, but admittedly we are champs three seasons running…

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  9. It has to do with everything. Had we lost yesterday you and gobs of others would have ridden the team hard. It’s the very 1st training match of the season after 2 weeks of training and the goals came from everywhere. Always nice to get off to a STRONG start no matter the opponent. Played a few of the kids formed in the Academy including a 17yr old who just signed his 1st Pro Contract and they all performed well. Next match is in two days against a much stronger CSKA Moscow side and with the renewed spirit of competition in the club, can’t help but be excited knowing how long it’s been since we’ve had a very strong team.

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  10. If PSG doesn’t win Ligue 1 with two months to spare, they should be ashamed of themselves. I guess Ibra didn’t like playing for a team that didn’t win the title for once…

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  11. I’d like to thank the Qatari Royal Family for spending the coin, I’d like to thank Berlusconi for having a team in debt and I’d like to thank….
    loving it and looking forward to seeing the project make a few leaps and bounds. To think yesterday we PSG whipped an Austrian 3rd division team 9-0 in th 1st warm up of the season. Oh Spartak Moscow, I can’t wait to see what happens to you ya in a few days.

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  12. This team looks absolutely amazing on paper. Now it’s time to see if they can be anything more than paper champions. I’m looking forward to seeing them.

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  13. A few years away from becoming a world power.
    A very, very good team next season — yes.
    Wait til you see the kids coming through the youth academy and most are from the Paris region. This is gonna be fun.

    ALLEZ PSG
    C’est Magique!!!

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