PSG continue restructuring by hiring Campos as adviser

PARIS (AP) — French champion Paris Saint-Germain continued its restructuring by hiring renowned talent scout Luis Campos as its football adviser on Friday.

The 57-year-old Campos was a former tactical advisor at Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho, but really made his name as Monaco's sporting director from 2013-16. The club took on a new dimension with major signings like Colombian striker Radamel Falcao and 2014 World Cup star James Rodriguez.

Other recruits like Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Thomas Lemar were sold on to Manchester City, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, respectively, as Monaco made huge profits.

A year after Campos left, the club he helped build beat PSG to win the league title in 2017 and reached the Champions League semifinals that year.

He then became Lille's sporting director from 2017-2020. He helped bring Portugal winger Renato Sanches to the club and nurtured the talent of Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen — who was sold to Napoli for 70 million euros ($82 million).

A year after Campos left, Lille beat PSG to win the 2021 title.

"I am delighted to be joining Paris Saint-Germain, which I consider is the most ambitious and exciting club in world football," Campos said. "I believe strongly in and share the vision of the club and I cannot wait to get started to further unleash the great potential of this exceptional club."

PSG said Campos will focus on the performance, recruitment, and organizational side of the team, taking over that role from sporting director Leonardo.

"As a world-acclaimed football expert, Campos is a pioneer in the development and progression of the game, renowned for his modern and innovative approach," PSG said in a statement. "Campos has overseen the progression of many renowned names in football, while also mentoring and nurturing next generation talent that have since become superstars."

PSG recently persuaded star striker Kylian Mbappe to sign a three-year extension despite interest from Real Madrid.

Mbappe reportedly agreed to stay as long as he had a say in the future of the club, amid reports former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane could replace Mauricio Pochettino after PSG's failure in the Champions League this season and loss of the league title last season.

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