When Lucas Chevalier joined PSG a year ago, he arrived with considerable hype, touted as a future cornerstone for the French national team. Yet, his debut season proved deeply disappointing, culminating in his exclusion from the World Cup squad. Now, his future at the Parisian club is a hot topic of discussion, with some pundits suggesting the former Lille goalkeeper should seriously consider a loan move.
While PSG has remained relatively quiet on the transfer market so far, the club is actively seeking to bolster its offensive line, particularly to offset the departures of Lee Kang-In and Gonçalo Ramos. The transfer of Maghnes Akliouche is reportedly nearing completion, and he is not expected to be the sole addition to the Parisian attack. Concurrently, the capital club is pursuing a surprising target, with negotiations reportedly underway for the Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma. This potential move undoubtedly casts a shadow over Lucas Chevalier’s position.
Recruited just a year ago for €40M, plus bonuses, from LOSC, the French shot-stopper was initially envisioned as the long-term successor to Gianluigi Donnarumma, offering genuine competition to Mike Maignan and embodying the future of Les Bleus. However, his tenure has seen him not only lose his starting spot at PSG but also miss out on a World Cup call-up, as Didier Deschamps opted for Brice Samba and Robin Risser as backups to the AC Milan keeper.
The Chevalier case sparks debate!
Given these circumstances, Lucas Chevalier’s future at PSG appears increasingly uncertain. For football analyst Walid Acherchour, the time has come for the French goalkeeper to seek playing opportunities elsewhere. “If I were Chevalier, I would ask for a loan. I’d have a conversation with Luis Enrique, and if he couldn’t guarantee me the number one spot, I wouldn’t fight for it. I’d request a loan to play, and then perhaps return to PSG as the number one. Battling with Safonov, who had an incredible season… At what point can we doubt Safonov and reshuffle the cards? He had an amazing second half of the season; he was crucial. On one side, you have a goalkeeper maximizing his potential, and on the other, one minimizing it. At some point, this isn’t a youth club; we’re not here to give out gifts, we’re at PSG. So Safonov is number one, Chevalier number two. It would take a significant slump from Safonov for Chevalier to get ahead,” he asserted during a recent broadcast.
A loan spell for Chevalier: an expert’s view
Walid Acherchour further recalled his belief that PSG should have allowed Lucas Chevalier to remain on loan at LOSC for another season last summer. “If I were Lucas Chevalier or even his entourage, I would be asking questions, not about a permanent departure, as that would be excessive, but he needs to play; he absolutely must play. The market opportunity for PSG was there last year, but I was among those who thought he should have been left on loan at Lille for a year. Well, I say a lot of nonsense, but in this case… So far, his transfer to PSG has been a disaster…”
The immense pressure of the PSG jersey
Currently, Lucas Chevalier faces stiff competition from Matvey Safonov, who notably started as goalkeeper during PSG’s second Champions League campaign. The Russian is expected to begin the season as the undisputed number one, though with Luis Enrique, nothing is ever truly set in stone. However, the former Krasnodar goalkeeper has demonstrated superior mental fortitude compared to Lucas Chevalier. “Safonov is a genuine character with a strong personality, and you sense he’s more integrated into the squad than Chevalier. With one goalkeeper, you feel the PSG jersey weighs 150kg, but for the other, it feels very light. I remain convinced that Chevalier is a better goalkeeper than Safonov, but he isn’t showing it,” Walid Acherchour concluded. In contrast, Elton Mokolo, also present on the same program, was less definitive about Lucas Chevalier’s future: “If I were Chevalier, I’d stay. I’d put on some Rocky music, like ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ and go fight for it. Chevalier’s advantage is that he has a coach who will give him another chance; there will be rotation.”
