Idrissa Gana Gueye, a Senegalese international midfielder, is the new player for Paris Saint-Germain. On paper, there's nothing too unusual here.
Another great purchase by the Qatari project in the French capital, £29m according to reports, but anyone who remembers PSG back in the days, can't help but be excited.
Let alone the fact that the 29-year-old is a great passer, a rock in midfield, who starred in both Ligue 1 and the English Premier League, his career numbers are simply stunning.
In 294 games in his career, Gueye has a 86.1% pass success. Also, he produces at least one key-pass in every game. These numbers (according to WhoScored) are crazy.
Gueye is a classic acquisition for Paris. The Dakar-born is Senegalese in origin, a Teranga Lions national team star and a true representative of one of the two largest migrant populations in Greater Paris (Senegalese & Algerian). After years of chasing the biggest names in the market to sell shirts, raise the club's shares and laying on marketing considerations only, here there's something else. Even if it comes thanks to the fair-play rules, this transfer is much more connected to the club's identity, city and fans.
After losing to Algeria in the last Africa Cup of Nations final, Gueye talked off the record to BabaGol. He is a true gentleman, not a snob, a determined top professional. Even after a brutal loss when all his country's journalists attacked him with cruel questions, he answered every one and did not evade the failure.
This signing is coming with that taste of 'the old PSG'. PSG of Bernard Lama, Omar Sene, Bruno N'Gotty, Marco Simone. Paris of Pauleta, Bernard Mendy, with a spice of Jay Jay Okocha. Paris that belongs to Paris.
Idrissa Gueye is an excellent signing in a cynical transfer window, in a club that seems to lose its identity recently, and it brings an honest smile. And when you dig into this deal, this transfer could be the hit of the French champions' season.