They say he is the new found pearl at PSG.
Once a fringe player struggling for starts at Rennes, Desire Doue has rapidly become one of the brightest stars in European football and the face of Paris Saint-Germain’s post-Galácticos era.
The 18-year-old forward, born in Angers, arrived at PSG last summer in a £43 million move, intended to plug the gap left by Kylian Mbappe’s departure. Back then, few imagined he would rise so quickly to embody the club’s fresh, youth-driven identity under Luis Enrique.
Doue’s early struggles were laid bare during a forgettable night at the Emirates last October, when he trudged off after 64 minutes against Arsenal looking lost and overwhelmed. But six months later, with PSG on the brink of a Champions League semi-final and a potential rematch against the Gunners, Doue has evolved into a key figure in the French champions’ exciting new project.
Gone are the days of the ‘bling bling’ approach that brought Neymar, Mbappe and Messi together in a glitzy but often unbalanced squad. In their place is a team focused on structure, youth and long-term development, with Doue and Georgian maestro Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at the heart of the transformation.
Doue has justified the faith shown in him by Enrique and sporting director Luis Campos, dazzling in big games—most notably in the 4-2 demolition of Manchester City at Parc des Princes in January, and again with a nerveless, match-winning penalty in the shootout at Anfield.
Insiders at PSG describe the teenager as mentally fearless, physically imposing and technically sublime. “They say he’s got rugby players’ legs,” one coach quipped, highlighting his powerful lower body and uncanny ability to ride challenges and burst past defenders.
With each performance, Doue silences doubters and sharpens PSG’s edge in Europe. The golden boy who once looked out of his depth now looks destined for greatness.
Will Aston Villa be ready?
