PSG need one of the world's five best players, Emery

Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery wants to recruit of one of the world's five best players in order to fire his side's drive for the Uefa Champions League.

Unai Emery led PSG to the French Cup and the League Cup in 2017. Reuters/Stephane Mahe

PSG crashed out of last year's competition spectacularly. After thrashing Barcelona 4-0 at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their last 16 tie, the then French champions lost the return leg 6-1.

For the 2017/2018 competition, PSG are in the group stages after finishing runners-up behind Monaco in Ligue 1.

In an interview with the French sports newspaper L'Equipe, Emery said: "PSG must have one of the world's best players to achieve its objectives.

"If we want to compete with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid and win the Champions League, then we will need someone from the top five."

PSG have been linked with Arsenal's Chile international Alexis Sanchez as well as Monaco's Kylian Mbappé.

"Both are top players," added the 45-year-old Spaniard. "What's more Mbappé is French and I want French players in a French team."

PSG won four titles on the trot until Monaco ended the series last season. PSG consoled themselves with their third successive French Cup and their fourth consecutive League Cup.

Unable to claim the biggest prizes of the season, PSG's cash rich Qatari backers have been parading their financial potency with talk of activating the 222-million-euro release clause in Barcelona's contract with the Brazil international Neymar.

"Since he went to Barcelona four years ago, Neymar has improved," Emery commented. "Now he is one of the best five players in the world. The leaders of PSG have been working for years to attract the world's best talents.

"The team as well as the supporters would be happy to have that kind of player join the talent that we already have at PSG. It's not easy to get the world's best players but it might happen."