Idrissa Gana Gueye joining Paris Saint-Germain this summer was perhaps one of the easiest transfers to predict.
The French side had tried to sign the Everton midfielder throughout the January transfer window, with the Blues holding out given they couldn’t lose a key player midway through the campaign.
PSG’s desperate need for a defensive midfielder meant they came calling again this summer, finally agreeing to a £30m deal with Everton to make a move happen.
Few were surprised to see Gueye head to France, except for him, who was seemingly taken aback by the interest of the Ligue 1 side and particularly Thomas Tuchel.
“I was surprised; it made me happy. This is the culmination of the work done for years,” he told PSG’s official website.
“And to see a coach say, ‘This is the player I need, it’s him I want’, I wasn’t expecting that at all.
“Just receiving a call from him, being able to interact with him, showing off his personality, but rubbing shoulders with him every day in training is even better.
“Everyone knows he is a good coach, but as well as a coach, he is a very good person who knows how to manage his group, who chats with the players.
“As soon as I arrived, he told me to stay as I am, not to change, to try to give this image to the group. On a football level, it allowed me to go up a level. I want to continue my progress and bring what I can to this team.”
This week sees Gueye start a new adventure with his new club, as they begin their campaign in the Champions League.
It will be a whole new level for Gueye, whose only taste of European football to date was an ill-fated journey in the Europa League with Everton back in 2017.
The Blues did not get close to breaking into the Champions League during his time at Goodison Park, and he says the chance to play in the competition was one of the reasons behind his move.
“That’s one of the reasons I came!” he added.
“Playing this competition is every player’s dream. It’s just the biggest club competition.
“It will be a pleasant match; we will try to have fun but, above all, give it to the fans and do our best to win the match.”
