Abdou Diallo: 'A dream come true'
The new Paris Saint-Germain recruit told PSG TV about his delight at joining the capital club.
Abdou, you're a Paris Saint-Germain player now. How do you feel?
"Of course I'm really happy and also relieved, because transfer windows are always a little stressful. But things happened quite quickly. I was able to talk with everyone at the club and we soon came to an agreement. After that, it was the medical, trips...I chose Paris Saint-Germain, because I'm at that stage in my career where I want to win a lot of trophies. It was the ideal moment to sign here and everything came together for that to happen. It was a dream for me, and it's come true. Now it's done, I just have to get to work."
What will you contribute to the team?
"Firstly, all my determination! I think that's something that's essential. You have to have the desire to commit yourself to the project, to settle into a squad and to give your all for a club. That's absolutely crucial. Also, I'd like to bring my little bit of experience to the team. Even though I'm very young, I've played in several clubs, in several leagues and in different countries. I'm used to integrating into a squad quite easily, so that won't be a problem. I'm also going to learn a lot. Paris Saint-Germain will give me a huge amount."
How do you feel about playing alongside some of the best players in the world?
"It's great! We all want to play with the best, of course. It's by being with the best that you progress. Those who play in my position are players who have a lot of experience. They're champions. So I'm going to learn from them and it'll be beneficial for me."
You're a quite versatile defender. Tell us about your style of play...
"I have defending in my soul, and I like tackles and contact, but I also like playing the ball out from the back. I'm a left-footer who adapts to the needs of the coach. I can play in several positions, but I'm really a central defender at heart. I don't have a problem helping out elsewhere, so I'm going to try and give as much as possible to the squad. When the coach calls on me, I'm going to have to stand up to be counted."