Willem Geubbels' odyssey sees him back in France
Willem Geubbels' signing for Paris FC sees him join his fourth Ligue 1 McDonald's club after a spell in Switzerland - learn more about his career in our latest profile.
A former Gone returns
After a fine start to the season with FC St. Gallen, scoring three goals in three matches, Willem Geubbels has returned to France, joining Paris FC. The newly promoted side have been ambitious in their transfer dealings, and the arrival of Geubbels is a part of that framework, joining alongside the likes of Otávio and Moses Simon. Now playing for his fourth team in Ligue 1 McDonald's, Guebbels was born in the Lyon suburb of Villeurbane and made his top flight debut at just sixteen. A prolific scorer the French youth teams, he was seen as the next big thing, and joined AS Monaco for €20M in 2018.
Still just 17, opportunities were hardly forthcoming as the team struggled against relegation during his time there, and the strong play of the likes of Kevin Volland and Wissam Ben Yedder kept him out of the team. A loan to Nantes was seen as an opportunity for redemption, and he did help Les Canaris win the Coupe de France, but was far from a regular under Antoine Kombouaré. and he returned to his parent club having hardly burnished his reputation.
Willem Geubbels sous ses nouvelles couleurs 🔵⚪️#CertifiéParis #ParisFC pic.twitter.com/ZiWHfPKUJJ
— Paris FC (@ParisFC) August 18, 2025
Success across the alps
After calling time on his spell in Monaco in January of 2023, Geubbels joined Swiss side FC St. Gallen. Used primarily off the bench after joining, he began to come into his own in 2023/24, scoring eight times and providing five assists as the club came fifth. His upward trajectory only continued last season, as he scored 17 times and helped the team finish second and also reach the Conference League. Able to play across the front line, his versatility and scoring touch made him an attractive proposition for PFC, and he joined the club on a five year deal.
Speaking last season, Geubbels acknowledged that despite his young age (he only turned 24 at the weekend), he has struggled with the idea of his being considered a player of unfulfilled promise. In an interview with 90Minutes.FR, he said, "People may have thought I was at the bottom, but that's not true -- I haven't given up when they said 'Oh, he's washed up.' Today, I feel I have a new dynamism to the way that I play. It's driven by a feeling of impatience, but also by a feeling of revenge. That's what's driving me today"
Now, Paris FC will hope that the spirit that animated his time away from France can do the same on his return, starting with the weekend's trip to face Olympique de Marseille.
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