If it is once again as an opponent that Pape Gueye (27) will meet Paris Saint-Germain this Tuesday, as the reigning double European champions visit Villarreal in the Champions League, it is nevertheless under the guise of a former player that the midfielder could have faced Les Rouge et Bleu.

A native of the Parisian suburbs, the Senegalese international – who has 48 caps (seven goals) – revealed in an interview with L’Équipe that he had been approached by PSG in his youth. “At home, everyone supported Marseille. When I was playing for Blanc-Mesnil, I even remember that PSG sent me an invitation to come for a trial, but I never went,” recalls the 27-year-old.

Although he ultimately chose to join Le Havre’s academy because “the training centre had a very good reputation and the school was also very important”, Gueye recalls being the subject of a final approach from the Parisian club. “Before I went into the office in Le Havre to sign my contract, I remember my former agent showing me a text message from PSG’s youth recruitment manager. They didn’t give up on me right until the very end.”

Having eventually turned professional with HAC, Gueye later joined Olympique de Marseille, PSG’s arch-rivals, before moving to Spain.