Sidelined by Deschamps and backup at PSG, Lucas Chevalier chooses to stay and fight

Lucas Chevalier will remain at Paris Saint-Germain this summer, despite a 2025-2026 season marked by the loss of his number-one status and non-selection for France’s 2026 World Cup squad. The 24-year-old goalkeeper, signed from Lille for up to €55 million, has himself conveyed this wish to the club. “He told us before the World Cup that he wanted to stay,” confirmed a source inside the club to L’Équipe.

A year ago, Chevalier arrived in Paris with the status of future starter. Reality proved quite different. Several hesitant performances, an injury and the rise of Matveï Safonov gradually reversed the hierarchy. The Russian finished the season as Luis Enrique’s designated goalkeeper, while Chevalier has not played a single official match since January. Foreign clubs inquired about his situation, but no concrete offer materialized.

The sporting cost of this demotion extends beyond the club’s borders. While Chevalier appeared well-positioned to feature in France’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, Didier Deschamps did not include him in his 36-man list, instead preferring notably Robin Risser. His loss of status at PSG weighed directly on this decision.

The paradox of his situation lies in the fact that PSG itself continues to believe in his potential. Under contract until 2030, Chevalier still enjoys the confidence of the board. And Luis Enrique left a door open: “Even for the goalkeeper position, if you have two, three poor performances, things can change.” A message that applies as much to Safonov as to his direct rival. Chevalier, for his part, has chosen to believe in it.