Over the summer, Paris Saint-Germain secured Willian Pacho from Eintracht Frankfurt to bolster their center-back position. Now, a few games into the 2024-25 season, one current player praises the Parisians for landing the Ecuadorian.
PSG paid a fixed fee of €40 million plus add-ons for the 22-year-old as the capital club continues investing in young talent with high upside.
Moreover, the Ligue 1 side would have beat out Liverpool, who were reportedly interested in the 22-year-old as a possible replacement for Joel Matip and were prepared to offer around £50 million to bring him on board this past summer.
With Pacho fitting in smoothly into Luis Enrique’s squad, current Antwerp goalkeeper Jean Butez isn’t surprised to see his former teammate succeeding in France’s top flight.
“For me, it was clear that Frankfurt was just a step and that he would land at a big club,” Butez told Le Parisien (h/t Le10Sport). “He fits perfectly with PSG’s style of play, which is relatively similar to the one we played in Antwerp, with a monopolization of the ball.
“He was used to defending high and he wasn’t afraid to leave space behind him because he is powerful and fast, even if he can seem a little heavy on the first steps. I felt safe with him because he exudes a lot of calm. I assure you: he is a good pick for Paris.”
Pacho could be an underrated signing and become a key pillar for PSG’s backline for years. The reigning Ligue 1 champions have inserted young talent at the center-back position, with Pacho and Lucas Beraldo joining this year.