How likely is a European ban? Anyone know?
And how did PSG get away with signing two 200 million pound players!
PSG didn't get away.
I'll explain it again.
PSG like City tried to inject some money into their club. However, Qatar was really straightforward when they just decided to put the QTA sponsorship with PSG : 200 M€ for nation branding. It was a new kind of sponsorship, never seen before. UEFA decided to value it at 100 M€ for their calculations.
PSG operates with that budget in mind and buys Neymar and Mbappé.
Then, immediately, UEFA launches an investigation (after the cries of Tebas, Barca, Real, Bayern, Juve, etc.) and decides that the different Qatari contracts are not fair value anymore (because they realized that with those values PSG could buy these types of players from the cartel) and devalue retroactively. Then PSG, instead of being in the green, has a big deficit over the 2015/2016/2017 FFP 3 year calculations.
PSG has 15 days to sell urgently (and at lesser cost) bench players. They managed to do so.
UEFA decides then that those fair values are not fair enough and need more devaluation and PSG win their appeal in CAS thanks to a technicality.
However, the period with Neymar/Mbappé will start to be included in FFP calculation from now. As a consequence, PSG will have to sell again this summer (before 30/07) and will buy afterwards. This is what clubs tight with FFP always do (sell before the end of the financial year and buy just after).
The good thing for PSG (that shows FFP is a joke as well) is that thanks to the investment in Mbappé and Neymar, they got a bigger profile worldwide, despite the mixed results in Champion Leagues. As a matter of fact, they got the Jordan brand deal (15 M+€), ALL main sponsor kit (60/75 M€), new Nike deal (75 M+€), Renault (4/5 M€), recently MHSC (1/2 M€), Unibet. And they are expecting more TV rights the year after when Media Pro money will come in ( starting in 2020/2021). Those deals should cover for the loss of QTA money and make those deals affordable for PSG. Nasser also said they are considering the naming of the Parc des Princes if an offer at an exceptional value was on the table (Accor has asked to be notified if PSG offers those naming right and the Paris municipality only allow a prefixe name like Accor Parc des Princes). PSG is also the club that gets the more money per seat in Europe (thanks to the high end lounges prices). The stadium capacity is a problem though.
All those sponsoring deals wouldn't have been possible without the initial investment (or financial doping) of the owners. So, how exactly is FFP "fair" when it doesn't allow clubs to be able to draw in those sponsoring and marketing deals ? PSG has become one of the best shirt sellers with more than 1 M this year.