Neymar is trying to convince Lionel Messi to join Paris Saint Germain since the 33-year-old Argentine football icon is set to leave Barcelona this summer.
According to ESPN’s report, Neymar had a phone conversation with Messi on Thursday where they discussed the possibility of the record 6 times Ballon d’Or winner teaming up with him at PSG.
Neymar and Messi formed a great bond when they were playing together at FC Barcelona from 2013 to 2017. During that period, they both won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey, one Supercopa, one UEFA Champions League title, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Unfortunately, the good time the duo was having as part of the deadliest attack lineup in club football which included Luis Suarez ended in 2017 when Neymar decided to break the accord by agreeing to join PSG.
As expected, the skillful Brazilian forward, moved from Barcelona to France for a world record transfer fee worth €222 million. Since then, he has won three La Liga, two Coupe de France, two Coupe de la Ligue, and one Trophée des Champions. He led PSG to the club’s first UEFA Champions League final on Sunday, August 23, 2020.
Prior to the just-concluded 2019-2020 season, Lionel Messi reportedly told the board of Barcelona to return Neymar to the Camp Nou and Neymar was interested in the idea. However, the deal failed to scale through.
Now that Messi is no longer interested in staying at FC Barcelona where he has been since he was 17-year-old, Neymar is returning the favor by urging Messi to join him at PSG. As of the last check, Neymar is at Ibiza in Spain which could mean that he and Messi could hook up for a broader chat on the possible move.
Neymar has made his request known to PSG
Sky Sports has reported that Neymar has requested that PSG should go for his friend, Messi, whose future is not certain in Spain. The Argentine has just a season left on his current contract with Barca.
According to the report, PSG’s board has started monitoring Messi’s situation and the French club could hijack Messi from Manchester City that reportedly want to bring the football icon to the Premier League.
Viral reports claim that PSG’s sporting director, Leonardo, has made contact with Messi’s representatives, specifically, with the Argentine’s father, Jorge Horacio, who is also his agent.
Though the idea of having a player like Messi is tempting, it would not materialize cheaply. On Messi’s contract which will expire in June 2021, there is a release clause worth €700 million. It will be almost impossible for any club to pay such an amount of money on a 33-year-old player even if it is Messi.
Besides that, Messi earns the highest salary in world football. It is not all top European clubs that can afford to pay him £95 million every year without breaching the UEFA Financial Fair Play rules which PSG and Manchester City have had issues with.
The only way out is if Lionel Messi succeeds in persuading Barcelona to allow him to go for free and then accept a pay cut just like his career rival, Cristiano Ronaldo did prior to leaving Real Madrid to Juventus in 2018. But Barcelona would not allow Messi to go for free without a serious fight since Madrid were able to get an initial €100 million from Juventus before Ronaldo could leave the club.
