The end of the 2024/25 season in Paris felt like something out of a football fairy tale.
Les Parisiens finally conquered the continent after years of heartbreak on Europe’s biggest stage as Luis Enrique side defeated Inter Milan in Munich to win their first-ever UEFA Champions League.
That victory also completed a historic quadruple, with the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions already in the bag in Paris.
They went on to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final too, only falling to Chelsea.
After such a high, the club now enters the 2025/26 season with a calculated gamble already raising questions.
PSG are not looking for backup for key star
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According to Le Parisien [via FOOTENFRANCE], despite Achraf Hakimi’s confirmed absence in January 2026 due to the Africa Cup of Nations, PSG have decided not to reinforce the right-back position this summer.
Luis Enrique rejected recruitment ideas put forward by Luis Campos, choosing instead to place his trust in internal solutions, and devise a plan for covering Hakimi's absence.
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It's believed Luis Enrique plans to rotate between Warren Zaïre-Emery and Joao Neves, two midfielders who have occasionally filled wide roles, when injuries forced adjustments.
Nordi Mukiele has also returned from a loan exit, but that has not changed the manager’s plans, while Hakimi - who played nearly 60 matches last season and recently extended his contract until 2029 - remains an untouchable part of the project.
However, the lack of a natural backup has sparked concerns over physical overload and the pressure of maintaining consistency across Ligue 1 and Champions League matches during the winter stretch.
Luis Enrique has always preferred a smaller squad filled with adaptable players and PSG appear ready to gamble on that philosophy again.
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