Less than a year after leaving Tottenham Hotspur to sign for PSG, there are claims in France that Benjamin Stambouli could be on the move again.
When Stambouli moved from Spurs to PSG, he sounded as shocked as everyone else. A former Marseille player and someone who had struggled to impose himself at Tottenham, it didn’t really fit in with PSG’s aim of winning the Champions League.
The week he left, Stambouli told Le Parisien that Tottenham had been a stepping stone to PSG: “This passage was a necessary step before coming here. I have taken a step. Knowing abroad allow me to adapt more quickly to Paris.
“It was an important moment in my progress but also as a man. And I feel no frustration with my playing time there although I would have preferred to play more. I had very good relations with people.”
The transfer was even more surprising because Stambouli had played for Marseille, PSG’s fierce rivals. The French press were shocked too and journalist Daniel Riolo spoke to RMC, relayed by Le10 Sport.
He said: “In the middle, Stambouli instead of Thiago Motta, it’s a bit like pâté to replace foie gras on a table. He tries his best, but he’s always at a Ligue 1 level. Which is fine, because it’s Ligue 1. A Ligue 1 that PSG are destroying. Even at walking pace, Paris Saint-Germain dominate everyone.”
Wednesday copy of French newspaper L’Equipe says that Betis are interested in signing Stambouli. His future at PSG is more under question since the arrival of Krychowiak, and PSG are very well stocked in the middle.
As it stands, Stambouli isn’t thinking about leaving, but PSG have Matuidi, Motta, Verratti, Rabiot and now the Polish midfielder. The former Tottenham midfielder is likely edging towards an exit or a season on the bench, save a midfielder injury plague.
Gus Poyet at Betis wants him, it may not be such a bad opportunity… and he’s picked up some silverware at PSG, so perhaps it all worked out in the end.
