Why PSG and Arsenal never do business in the transfer market

Since the departure of Nicolas Anelka to London in the winter of 1997 for 760,000 euros, the commercial paths between PSG and Arsenal have remained virtually impenetrable. While the Parisians have regularly dealt with other English clubs over the last thirty years (including Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle, and even Manchester City), they have never completed a deal with the Gunners.

Former club officials reject the idea of tension between the boards. Alain Roche, who held recruitment and sporting director roles at PSG between 2003 and 2012, and Gilles Grimandi, in charge of recruitment at Arsenal from 2005 to 2019, attribute this to a combination of circumstances. Roche recalls that during his time, the salary demands in England were often too high for PSG.

Even with the arrival of Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, PSG's recruitment focused heavily on other markets, particularly Italy. A rare attempt to inquire about Arsenal's Hector Bellerin ended after he was spotted at Paris Fashion Week. Meanwhile, Arsenal held interest in players like Mamadou Sakho and Christopher Nkunku, but those moves never materialized. Grimandi also notes that Arsenal generally did not target players from major French clubs frequently.

The Anelka deal was the move that pushed the club into another dimension. It was decisive for the club's sporting policy and gave us real credibility. Gilles Grimandi

Despite the lack of direct business, the Gunners still view the Anelka transfer as a pivotal moment in their history. Following his subsequent sale to Real Madrid for a then-record fee for a French player, the move set a new standard for Arsenal's future transfer strategy.