When Lucas Chevalier arrived at Paris Saint-Germain a year ago, he was hailed as France’s future national team goalkeeper. However, a profoundly disappointing season saw him overlooked for the World Cup squad. Now, his professional trajectory is a major talking point, with experts on the ‘After Foot’ program even suggesting the former Lille shot-stopper seriously consider a loan spell away from the capital.
While currently quiet on the transfer front, PSG is actively seeking to bolster its offensive line, particularly to compensate for the departures of Lee Kang-In and Gonçalo Ramos. The acquisition of Maghnes Akliouche is reportedly nearing completion, and he is not expected to be the sole attacking reinforcement. Concurrently, the Parisian club is pursuing a surprising target, with negotiations reportedly underway for the transfer of Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma. This potential move undoubtedly casts a shadow over Lucas Chevalier’s prospects. Recruited just a year ago for €40M (excluding bonuses) from LOSC, the French custodian was envisioned as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s successor and a future cornerstone for Les Bleus, offering genuine competition to Mike Maignan. Yet, he has not only lost his starting position at PSG but also missed out on the World Cup, as Didier Deschamps opted for Brice Samba and Robin Risser as backups to the AC Milan keeper.
Chevalier’s situation sparks debate
It is against this backdrop that Lucas Chevalier’s future at PSG appears increasingly precarious. For football analyst Walid Acherchour, the time has come for the French goalkeeper to seek playing opportunities elsewhere. “If I were Chevalier, I would go on loan. I’d have a discussion with Luis Enrique, and if he doesn’t guarantee me the number one spot, I wouldn’t fight for it; I’d ask for a loan to play, and then perhaps return to PSG as the first-choice keeper. 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, on the other, one minimizing it. We’re not at 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 monumental collapse from Safonov for Chevalier to get back ahead…” he elaborated on ‘After Foot’.
“If I were Chevalier, I’d seek a loan”
In fact, Walid Acherchour reiterated that even last summer, he would have preferred to see PSG allow Lucas Chevalier to remain on loan at LOSC for a season. “If I were Lucas Chevalier, or even his entourage, I’d be asking questions – not about a permanent departure, as that would be excessive, but he needs to play, he must play. The market opportunity for PSG was good last year, but I was among those who thought he should have been loaned back to Lille for a year. Well, I say a lot of foolish things, but this… For now, his transfer to PSG is a disaster…”
“You feel the PSG jersey weighs 150kg”
Currently, Lucas Chevalier faces stiff competition from Matvey Safonov, who famously started in 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 real character with a strong personality, and you feel he’s more integrated into the squad than Chevalier. For one goalkeeper, you sense the PSG jersey weighs 150kg, while for the other, it feels very light. I remain convinced that Chevalier is a better goalkeeper than Safonov, but he isn’t showing it,” concluded Walid Acherchour. Conversely, Elton Mokolo, also present on the ‘After Foot’ panel, was less definitive about Lucas Chevalier’s future: “If I were Chevalier, I’d stay. I’d put on the Rocky theme music and fight for it. Chevalier’s chance is that he has a coach who will give him opportunities; there will be rotation.”