Lionel Messi speaks to reporters at Barcelona Airport
Lionel Messi is hoping to leave Barcelona when the transfer window reopens at the end of the campaign, according to reports. And PSG could be his next destination. The two European giants will meet in the last 16 of the Champions League after the draw for the next round was made on Monday morning.
Messi wanted to quit Barcelona back in the summer transfer window but, ultimately, wasn’t allowed to depart the Nou Camp.
He had his sights set on a move to the Premier League with Manchester City and had been hoping to reunite with Pep Guardiola over at the Etihad.
Reports have suggested, however, that City are no longer as keen on Messi as they once were.
Yet, regardless, OK Diario say the Barcelona star remains eager to leave Catalonia behind for a new challenge elsewhere.
Barcelona have been in wretched form this term and currently sit eighth in the table, having won just five of their 11 matches.
Ronald Koeman isn’t giving up on the La Liga title but that already seems a long way off, with league leaders Real Sociedad nine points clear of Barcelona at the summit.
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He said: “Neymar has said quite clearly that he wants to play with Lionel Messi, going forward.
“Now, this was something [PSG president] Nasser Al-Khelaifi didn’t deny – an interest in Messi.
“He has said, ‘well… we respect Barcelona and we don’t talk about their players’, and he actually meant it. There wasn’t a second part to that sentence, which is quite remarkable in modern football.
“But how you fit those three on the wage bill, I don’t know how it happens.
“I wonder if there is a scenario in which Kylian Mbappe, who is – with 18 months left on his contract – Real Madrid’s top target going into next summer going there, and they do pair Neymar and Messi in Paris.