Brazil starlet Lucas Moura relishes French challenge

DOHA - Agence France-Presse

After being signed by Paris Saint-Germain last summer, Lucas Moura finally joined his new club with the ending of the Brazilian football season. REUTERS photo

Brazilian international midfielder Lucas Moura said yesterday he is ready to embrace the “challenge” at an evolving Paris Saint-Germain.

Lucas, 20, signed from Sao Paulo in the summer on a four-and-a-half-year deal worth 40 million euros as PSG held off competition from the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid to snare a player hailed as one of the bright hopes of the Brazilian team.

“It’s a real challenge for me,” said Lucas, who has scored three goals in 22 appearances for Brazil. “PSG is in full evolution. [Sporting director] Leonardo helped me a lot to take the decision to sign when I could have continued with my former team in Brazil until season’s end.

“It’s an important step in my career. There are stronger competitions in Europe. PSG has a long history with Brazilian players and I hope I’ll be able to write a new page in this history.”

PSG President Nasser al-Khelaifi added: “We’re very happy to start the year with one of the world’s best players.”

Lucas, who has joined his new teammates at a training camp in Qatar, could make his debut in a friendly against Qatari champions Lekhwiya today.

Khelaifi said the club was not planning to recruit any more players in the January transfer window, adding however that “anything could happen.”

“We’ve got a great team with some great players, I don’t think we need to recruit,” he said.

“For the moment, we’re not planning on recruiting anyone but I don’t know, there could be injuries, anything can happen.”

Khelaifi added: “PSG today wants to build a big European club and place itself among the best in Europe and the world. We have to spend money for that and act like the other big clubs. If we hadn’t have spent this much, we wouldn’t be at this level.”