PSG without Ibrahimovic for Lille clash

A senior official of the Turkish football club, Galatasaray, has dismissed talks about attempts to acquire Paris Saint-Germain’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic still has one year left on his PSG contract, but after the 2-0 French Super Cup win over Lyon over the weekend he admitted his time in the French capital could be over.

PSG have had a good pre season and just completed the £44million signing of Angel Di Maria from Manchester United.

Friday’s encounter at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy is a tricky opener for the champions, and is made more hard by the absence of last season’s top scorer – who has been linked a move away during the transfer window – because of a knee injury. PSG told him that was not possible. “He would make us even more competitive”. The 46-year-old Frenchman has agreed a three-year contract with Lille, who finished a disappointing eighth last season.

Two newcomers face each other as Troyes take on Gazélec Ajaccio in what will be historic first Ligue 1 match for the latter. Youth is definitely the mantra at AS Monaco, which let Geoffrey Kondogbia and Yannick Ferriera Carrasco go for big money and then recruited a series of interesting youngsters in return, particularly former Milan striker Stephan El-Shaarawy.

Laurent Blanc’s men are chasing a fourth consecutive crown in Le Championnat and start the season as heavy favourites.

PSG kick off this season’s Ligue 1 at Lille on Friday at 1830 GMT.

Monaco are looking strong, too.