Warren Zaïre-Emery is at the heart of PSG’s thinking. In today’s edition, L’Équipe wonders about the young Parisian’s future at right-back, a position he has been filling more and more often in the absence of Achraf Hakimi. At just 19, the academy product has already logged nearly 1,100 minutes there this season and has established himself as a credible alternative to the Moroccan international.
His performances are fueling debate both inside and outside the club. According to the sports daily, they are “significant enough to imagine him settling into this position for the long term.” Even though the player was initially not enthusiastic about this “conversion,” he now shows real qualities in the role, especially in defensive duels and in his body positioning.
A Hybrid Role and Limited Long-Term Prospects
The question remains whether Zaïre-Emery can become a top-level right-back outside a specific context, such as the systems used by Luis Enrique or even Pep Guardiola, where the position is hybrid and often resembles a midfield role in possession. At PSG, there is also the reminder that the club already has what is considered the best right-back in the world in Hakimi, which inevitably limits long-term prospects in that role.
With the French national team, Didier Deschamps continues to see Zaïre-Emery primarily as a midfielder. The staff, relying on the Jules Koundé–Malo Gusto duo on the right, does not seem ready to change its view, even if it acknowledges the Parisian’s versatility, which could be an asset in a 26-man World Cup squad in the United States.
At only 20 years old and already close to 200 professional matches, Warren Zaïre-Emery has probably not finished redefining his path. Another career, perhaps in a different role, may well open up to him in the years to come.
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