"For the good of both parties, the story must end" - Emmanuel Petit urges PSG star to follow Lionel Messi's footsteps and leave club this summer
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has urged Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Neymar Jr. to follow in Lionel Messi's footsteps and leave the Parisians in the summer. The Brazilian has been heavily linked with an exit from the Parc des Princes in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Neymar was ruled out for the remainder of the season in March after suffering an ankle injury, which required surgery. The Brazilian forward scored 18 goals and provided 17 assists in 29 appearances for PSG before suffering the season-ending injury.
Petit has now urged Neymar to leave PSG for good. Speaking on Rothen s'enflamme, he said:
"It's been two years since he's had it all. Neymar go away! Do like Messi! For the good of both parties, the story must end!"
Lionel Messi looks set to leave the Ligue 1 giants on a free transfer in the summer when his current contract expires.
Neymar arrived at PSG as the world-record signing after a €222m move from Barcelona in 2017. Although the winger has been prolific for the club, his time in Paris has been punctuated by recurring injury issues. In six years, Neymar has missed more than 100 games due to injury.
Will PSG superstar Lionel Messi return to Barcelona?
According to reports, PSG forward Lionel Messi could be headed back to Barcelona in the summer. The Blaugrana, however, will need to sort out their financial situation to make Messi's returns a reality.
Barcelona need to offload €200 million from their wage bill to register new players in the summer. Manager Xavi recently talked about the club's chances of completing a sensational deal for the Argentine superstar. He said (via 90min):
"It's up in the air. It depends on many things. There is not much more I can say. Leo is a spectacular footballer. He is a friend. From there, it depends on many things, but above all on his intentions and what he wants."
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, recently expressed his interest in playing alongside Messi. He said:
"I want to play with Messi here in Barcelona. He has changed his style in recent years. It is easier to play with players who understand football as deeply as he does."
Barca will need to act efficiently if they are to seal a deal for Messi. Apart from the Catalan giants, Messi has reportedly generated interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal and MLS side Inter Miami.