Uefa opens formal FFP investigation into PSG’s transfer activity

Uefa has announced a formal Financial Fair Play investigation into Paris Saint-Germain, which it says will focus on the French side’s with its break-even requirement “particularly in light of its recent transfer activity”.

PSG smashed the world transfer record in paying €222m (£198m) to purchase Neymar from Barcelona at the start of August and have also completed the signing of Kylian Mbappé from Monaco on an initial loan in a deal that could cost them up to €180m (£166m). Uefa has been under pressure to take action, with reports in Spain on Thursday that Real Madrid and Barcelona had already lodged formal complaints after an unprecedented summer of spending.

“The investigatory chamber of the Uefa Club Financial Control Body has opened a formal investigation into Paris Saint-Germain as part of its ongoing monitoring of clubs under Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations,” read a statement from European football’s governing body on Friday.

“The investigation will focus on the compliance of the club with the break-even requirement, particularly in light of its recent transfer activity. In the coming months, the investigatory chamber of the Uefa Club Financial Control Body will regularly meet in order to carefully evaluate all documentation pertaining to this case.

“Uefa considers Financial Fair Play to be a crucial governance mechanism which aims to ensure the financial sustainability of European club football. Uefa will make no further comments on this matter while the investigation is ongoing.”

Uefa’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations were introduced by its former president Michel Platini in a bid to ensure clubs lived within their means and only spent in proportion to their revenue.


As well as Neymar and Mbappé, PSG also spent £13.2m on Yuri Berchiche from Real Sociedad this summer and signed Dani Alves on a free transfer after he left Juventus for a reported salary of £230,000 a week. They also sold a number of first-team players, including Blaise Matuidi to Juventus for £18m and Serge Aurier to Tottenham for £23m.