PSG need a Neymar to become a top European power: Emery

Paris Saint Germain need to sign a player of the calibre of Neymar or Kylian Mbappe in their quest to win the Champions League, according to their coach Unai Emery. In an interview published in French sports daily L’Equipe yesterday Emery named Neymar as a world top-five player, just the class PSG needed to become a top European power.He was speaking amid reports in Brazil and Spain that PSG were on the way to clinching a sensational deal to prise Neymar away from Barcelona. “If we want to rival Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid and win the Champions League we need to buy one of the top five players in the world today,” Emery said after watching his side edge Roma on penalties in a friendly in the United States.“Neymar has advanced his game massively and today he is one of the five best in the world,” he said of the 25-year-old Brazilian who has a buy out clause at Barcelona of over 200mn euros. “Our president is working hard to attract top players and our fans would be content to count on a new top player to go along with the talent we already have,” said the Spaniard.Earlier this week Neymar attempted to quell the rising speculation about his future by telling Goal.com that he was happy at Barcelona and was looking forward to a new season. But PSG’s quest for top players goes beyond the Brazilian striker and includes the likes of Monaco teenager Mbappe and Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal’s Chilean striker.“(Alexis) Sanchez and Mbappe are huge players and what’s more Mbappe is French — I want Frenchmen in this French club,” he said. The Parisian club are keen to strengthen their squad after the club failed to live up to expectations last season.In the Champions League round of 16 they suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at Barcelona, blowing a 4-0 first-leg advantage that left the club stunned. They also gave up the French league title to rivals Monaco forcing the club president Nasser al-Khelaifi to sack the sports director Patrick Kluivert and bring in Antero Henrique.The new director produced an early coup by signing Brazilian defender Dani Alves, who had been tipped to join Manchester City, on a free agent deal with no transfer fee. Emery said Henrique’s task was to bring in a major attacking player and keep unsettled stars Marquinhos, and Marco Verratti.On Wednesday, PSG edged Roma 5-3 on penalties after they played to a 1-1 draw in a friendly in Detroit, Michigan. Brazilian defender Marquinhos gave the Ligue 1 giants the lead in the 36th minute, but Roma responded with a strong second-half performance that saw Sadiq Umar nab the equalizer in the 60th minute.Under the rules of the International Champions Cup friendly tournament the match was then settled by a shootout. Only Roma’s Gerson failed to convert, and Marquinhos capped his night with the decisive penalty.Alvez made his debut for PSG, starting at right back a week after he signed with the French club in a deal worth a reported 14mn euros ($16mn). Alves played 69 minutes and was perhaps lucky not to concede a penalty in the 57th, when his slide tackle caught Diego Perotti in the area.Emery was satisfied with what he saw from Alves, who won three Champions Leagues and six La Liga titles at Barcelona and who many had expected to end up with former manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. “He played with his experience,” Emery said. “He talks a lot on the pitch, he also brings a lot in attack.”The match drew more than 36,000 to Comerica Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers.Paris had seized the lead nine minutes before halftime. A neat combination between Thiago Motta and Jese saw the ball fall to Marquinhos, who fired home a right-footed shot from the center of the area.The French club continued to push, with Lucas Moura firing straight at Roma keeper Alisson, but the lead remained at 1-0 at halftime. With six changes for Roma and two for PSG, both clubs struggled to find a rhythm to open the second half.But Roma gradually increased the pressure and were rewarded on the hour mark a pass from Gerson saw the speedy Sadiq put in behind and the 20-year-old Nigerian put the ball through Alphonse Areola’s legs. Blaise Matuidi had three late chances for PSG, including blazing over from close range in the 85th minute and an injury-time effort.In the shoot-out, the first five penalties were converted before Gerson, the third penalty-taker for Roma, missed. “The team did a good job,” Emery said. “The result was not the most important thing. Of course, we wanted to win, but what is important is to give playing time to many players.”