Paris Saint-Germain, the French football powerhouse, is reportedly searching for a new sporting director as the current one, Luís Campos, faces an uncertain future at the club. Campos, who joined PSG as a sporting adviser to the president in June 2022, has been instrumental in bringing some of the best players to the Parc des Princes, but his dual role as the sporting director of Celta Vigo has raised some doubts about his commitment and loyalty.
Campos’ impressive track record
Campos is widely regarded as one of the most astute and influential figures in the football world, having worked as a scout, coach, and director for several clubs in Portugal, France, and Spain. He is credited with discovering and developing some of the most talented players in Europe, such as Kylian Mbappé, Nicolas Pépé, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, James Rodríguez, and Anthony Martial.
He was also the mastermind behind Lille’s remarkable Ligue 1 title triumph in 2021, ending PSG’s dominance in the domestic league. He left Lille in December 2020 after a dispute with the club’s owner, and was appointed as Celta Vigo’s sporting director in January 2021. He then joined PSG as a sporting adviser in June 2022, with the permission of Celta Vigo.
Campos’ role under scrutiny
Despite his impressive track record and reputation, Campos’ role at PSG has come under scrutiny after a busy summer transfer window that saw the club sign some of the biggest names in world football, such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes. According to Foot Mercato, some of the PSG board members are not satisfied with Campos’ work as a sporting adviser, and question his involvement and influence in the club’s transfer strategy.
They also suspect that Campos may have a conflict of interest due to his dual role as Celta Vigo’s sporting director. They fear that he may use his position at PSG to benefit Celta Vigo or other clubs that he has ties with. For instance, he played a major role in PSG’s late move for Randal Kolo Muani from Nantes on deadline day, a move that was seen as unnecessary and expensive by some of the PSG officials.
Maxwell among the candidates to replace Campos
According to Le Parisien, PSG have already begun the search for a new sporting director to replace Campos. One of the names high on their list is Maxwell, the former PSG left-back who currently works as a technical coordinator at the club. Maxwell helped PSG in their transfer dealings during the summer window, and has a good relationship with the players and the staff.
Maxwell also has a wealth of experience and knowledge in football, having played for some of the top clubs in Europe, such as Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona, and PSG. He won 37 trophies during his career, including four Ligue 1 titles with PSG. He retired from playing in 2017 and joined PSG’s management team.
Other candidates that have been linked with the sporting director role at PSG include Leonardo Jardim, the former Monaco coach who is currently unemployed; Monchi, the Sevilla sporting director who is renowned for his scouting network and bargain signings; and Antero Henrique, who previously worked as PSG’s sporting director from 2017 to 2019.
