This is taken from the GFFN 100, our leading 150-page FREE publication ranking the best 100 players in France, see the full list and read every profile right here.
Having joined from Napoli for a fee of €23m at the end of August, Spanish international Fabián Ruiz was part of an influx of midfielders at Paris Saint-Germain over the summer.
As Georginio Wijnaldum, Ander Herrera and Leandro Paredes all departed the French capital on loan deals, the core of the Parisian squad was refreshed by the arrival of Vitinha, Carlos Soler, Renato Sanches and, of course, 26-year-old Ruiz. While the Spaniard may not have broken any transfer records, he is backed by a strong CV, including the 2019 under 21 European Championship trophy, where he was named Player of the Tournament, and the 2020 Coppa Italia.
Since his arrival, the 26-year-old has successfully competed for game time alongside the ever-present Marco Verratti, who has started all but two of PSG’s games this year. Having arrived earlier in the summer from Porto, Vitinha appeared to start the season as the favourite to partner the Italian but, by the start of October, Ruiz muscled his way in.
Click Here: FC Bayern Munich Jersey Sale
Indeed, since the Spaniard’s debut, he and Vitinha have played virtually the same number of minutes in the league. Before the World Cup break, Christophe Galtier had begun experimenting with a midfield three in place of a two-man setup supported by mobile wing-backs. Should this tactical trend continue, Ruiz can certainly be optimistic about consistent game time going into 2023.
Looking ahead, it’s clear Ruiz can provide an important service for the French champions in their ongoing pursuit of a first Champions League trophy, and an 11th domestic title. Even with limited opportunities, Ruiz has shown his ability to run the midfield, regaining possession and moving the ball forwards. With nearly four tackles per game, the midfielder sits among the top 5% in Ligue 1, almost matching Verratti’s contributions and far outranking PSG’s other midfield options.
Equally, Ruiz has the joint highest pass completion rate (93.6%) in the league, again equal with his Italian teammate. More importantly, these passes are meaningful, with positive intent, progressing 350 yards on average per 90. Despite his strong start, the 26-year-old is yet to contribute to the PSG attack, without a goal or an assist to his name. However, with the attacking options PSG have at their disposal, Ruiz can bide his time in this respect.
Jack Wadding | GFFN