Barely have the January transfer window ended with five recruits (Koloesho, Muntensi, Coppola, Immobile, Matondo) that Paris FC is already preparing for the future. According to information from several media that we are able to confirm, midfielder Patrick Zabi will sign up with the Parisian club on a long-term contract.
The leaders reached an agreement with Stade de Reims for a record amount of 25 million euros. But the 19-year-old Ivorian, who was recruited for 100,000 euros, will finish the season with his club in Ligue 2 and will not join Paris until next summer. It is for this reason that the two parties have not formalized this transfer.
It was under the leadership of Red Bull – minority shareholder of the club – and Jürgen Klopp, particularly interested in this profile, that Patrick Zabi found himself on the radar of Paris FC. This summer, the promoted to Ligue 1 was the first to approach the player, but Reims refused the first offer which was then 15 million (plus 10 bonus). But contact was never broken. Others followed before finalizing a final agreement in recent days.
The upcoming arrival of Patrick Zabi, after that of Rudy Matondo, a 17-year-old midfielder from Auxerre recruited for around fifteen million euros during this winter transfer window, marks a turning point in Paris FC’s recruitment policy. As would be expected with Red Bull’s expertise, this shows that they are determined to develop and develop promising young talents. For this, the shareholders are ready to bet a lot of money since the cumulative purchases of Matondo and Zabi will exceed 40 million euros. Paris FC had also offered sums around 25 million for other promising young people who did not come, Mathis Abline, Lucas Stassin this summer and Siddiki Chérif in January.
This season with Reims, 2nd in the Ligue 2 standings and which qualified on Tuesday for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, Patrick Zabi has scored two goals and offered three assists in 18 appearances. Several renowned European clubs (Newcastle, Manchester United, AC Milan, Inter, etc.) also followed him. But “Zabi la Magie”, a nickname he inherited when he put on a show during five-a-side football matches near Abidjan by humiliating his direct opponent thanks to his technique, and his entourage finally chose Paris FC.
The Parisian club signs the biggest transfer in its history. The record was until now held by Otavio, who arrived from Porto in July for 17 million euros.
