Lucas Hernandez joins PSG but still question marks over Kylian Mbappe’s future
Paris Saint-Germain made their fifth signing of the summer on Sunday, securing defender Lucas Hernandez from Bayern Munich on a five-year contract.
The French 2018 World Cup winner joins Manuel Ugarte, Milan Skriniar, Marco Asensio and Lee Kang-in as Parc des Princes newcomers since Luis Enrique’s appointment as coach on Wednesday.
Hernandez, who has signed a deal with the French champions until 2028, said: “I’m feeling so happy, I’ve been waiting to join PSG for some time now and at last it’s happened.”
While neither club has disclosed the size of the transfer fee, multiple reports estimated the deal to be worth around €40 million to Bayern.
Born in Marseille, 27-year-old Hernandez has never experienced Ligue 1 football having joined Atletico Madrid as a youngster in 2007 from fellow Spanish club Rayo Majadahonda.
A question mark hangs over Hernandez’s fitness with the player only turning out 107 times for the Bayern in four years.
He has been sidelined since undergoing surgery after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the ninth minute of France’s opening World Cup match against Australia in Qatar.
Hernandez won the Bundesliga in each of his four seasons at Bayern and the Champions League in 2020, though he was an unused substitute when Bayern beat PSG 1-0 in the final.
“We would like to thank Lucas Hernández for four very successful years together. He always gave everything, we were always impressed by his fighting spirit and his passion. FC Bayern wishes him all the best for the future,” said Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
Hernandez will link up in defence with Slovakia captain Skriniar, who joined on a free transfer the day after Luis Enrique’s unveiling as manager, with forward Asensio moving from Real Madrid.
Uruguay midfielder Ugarte followed the day after from Portuguese club Sporting, with the Ligue 1 champions signing South Korean international Lee from Real Mallorca on Saturday.
Former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique has been quick to recruit as major doubts persist over the future of Kylian Mbappe.
During Luis Enrique’s official unveiling to reporters, PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi warned the 24-year-old France striker he “must sign a new contract” if he wished to remain at the club this season.
Mbappe, widely regarded as one of the best players in world football, has a year left on his contract but has made clear he will not be taking up the option of extending that by a further 12 months next summer.
The impasse is likely to force PSG’s hands to negotiate Mbappe’s sale this summer, with Al Khelaifi saying it was “impossible” the French club would allow a player valued at €180 million to leave for free.
Real Madrid remains Mbappe’s most likely destination, with the Spanish giants failing in their bid to lure the former Monaco striker to the Bernabeu in 2022.
PSG have already seen Argentina World Cup winner Lionel Messi depart after the end of his contract, while Junio Dina Ebimbe joined German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Spanish defender Sergio Ramos has also left Parc des Princes following the expiration of his PSG deal, and Argentine striker Mauro Icardi is in talks with Galatasaray following a successful loan with the Turkish club last season.
