Florent Malouda Reveals Missed Opportunities with PSG
Former France international Florent Malouda has opened up about a long-running history of near-misses with Paris Saint-Germain, revealing he came close to joining the club on more than one occasion during his career.
Speaking to Le Parisien, the 34-year-old admitted that he held direct talks with PSG in 2003, shortly before making the move from Guingamp to Ligue 1 giants Lyon. At the time, his then-teammate Didier Drogba was heading to Marseille.
“Francis Graille was the first president to call me,” Malouda, a native of French Guiana and raised in Metz, told the newspaper. “I also had a discussion with Vahid Halilhodžić, but that rather put me off. When Lyon came forward, there was no question in my mind.”
Malouda went on to enjoy a highly successful stint at Lyon, winning four consecutive Ligue 1 titles and establishing himself as one of France’s top midfielders before making a high-profile move to Chelsea in 2007.
The former winger also revealed that PSG had shown interest in him even earlier in his career, during his time at Châteauroux in Ligue 2. “I could have gone to PSG to be Laurent Robert’s understudy,” he said. “But between Paris and me, it’s a story of missed opportunities.”
Despite never donning the PSG shirt, Malouda’s career flourished elsewhere, including with the French national team, where he earned 80 caps and featured in the 2006 World Cup final.
Malouda’s reflections come as Metz, his hometown club, prepare to host Paris Saint-Germain on Friday in the opening match of Ligue 1’s 14th round.
