Milan Škriniar playing for Fenerbahçe. (source: TASR)
In January 2023, Slovak footballer and national team captain Milan Škriniar signed a contract with the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football club. The team’s manager, Luis Campos, and then head coach Christophe Galtier were both keen to bring him in. He was to be one of several new signings intended to help rebuild the squad.
Now, however, it appears that circumstances have changed, and PSG no longer wanted Škriniar for quite some time, according to Sportnet. Citing French media sources, it is reported that he spent his final days in Paris living in a hotel and training separately from the first team.
At the end of July, he signed a four-year contract with Fenerbahçe in Turkey, a club he had been loaned to since early 2025. Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho seems to have a clear vision of how to utilise Škriniar.
From adored to sidelined
When the Slovak arrived at PSG in the summer of 2023, some things had already changed. The club had appointed a new head coach, Luis Enrique, and high-profile players such as Lionel Messi and Neymar had departed. Nonetheless, Škriniar managed to secure a place in the starting eleven. What he lacked in pace, he compensated for with physicality and an excellent reading of the game.
Coach Enrique even praised the Slovak defender, referring to him as a leader and a player he “adored”.
Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2024, Škriniar suffered an injury that ruled him out for three months. From that point onwards, he never regained a regular place in the starting line-up, despite showing strong commitment and effort during training sessions.
“It is what it is, and I’m certainly not happy about it. When training, I see that I can be on par with the other players,” Škriniar said.
PSG began to search for his replacement and eventually found it in William Pacho. Enrique was later able to bring in more players in order to fulfil his vision for the team.
A new home
Škriniar was loaned to Fenerbahçe in Turkey from January 30 for the remainder of the 2024–25 season, thereby missing PSG’s historic first UEFA Champions League title.
Nevertheless, his consistent performances during his time in Turkey convinced Fenerbahçe’s management to pursue a longer-term arrangement. In addition to enjoying more minutes on the pitch, Škriniar also admitted he had found something in Istanbul that he had lacked in Paris – the support of the fans.
Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho praised Škriniar, describing him as a leader and a top-class player.
After signing the permanent contract, Škriniar expressed his happiness at being reunited with what he called his “family”. He added that he had felt at home from the moment he arrived in January, thanks to the support from the fans, coaching staff, and teammates.
