Matvey Safonov has revealed that he understood he would not immediately become Paris Saint-Germain’s first-choice goalkeeper when he joined the French club from Krasnodar in 2024.
The Russia international reflected on his arrival at Paris Saint-Germain and the expectations he had before beginning life at the club. Despite knowing that he was unlikely to start regularly, Safonov made 17 appearances during his first season.
“When I arrived at PSG, I knew perfectly well that I would not be playing in the starting line-up. But I made 17 appearances in my first season that is not a common occurrence,” Safonov said.
Safonov moved from Krasnodar to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024. The French club paid €25m for the Russian goalkeeper.
His transfer represented a significant move in his career, but Safonov acknowledged that he joined a squad where he was not expected to take the starting role immediately. His comments focused on the number of opportunities he received during his opening campaign, with 17 appearances marking a notable return despite his initial position in the goalkeeping hierarchy.
The goalkeeper has also featured five times in all competitions during the current season. Across those appearances, he has conceded eight goals.
Safonov’s latest comments come as he remains among the nominees for the award recognising the best goalkeeper of the year. He has been nominated alongside Vozinha.
The nomination places Safonov’s performances in the context of a wider individual award, while his record at Paris Saint-Germain continues to include both his first-season involvement and his appearances during the current campaign.
His move to Paris Saint-Germain followed his spell with Krasnodar and made him one of the Russian goalkeepers playing at a major European club. Although he had already anticipated competition for the starting position, Safonov’s first season produced more playing opportunities than he had expected given the circumstances of his arrival.
The 17 matches he played in that campaign remain central to his assessment of the move. Safonov’s own account makes clear that he did not arrive expecting to be the club’s number one, but he still regarded his involvement across the season as unusual.
This season, he has added five appearances in all competitions to his Paris Saint-Germain record, conceding eight goals in the process. He is now also included among the candidates for the year’s best goalkeeper award, with Vozinha listed as another nominee.