PSG Transfer News Roundup: Former Blaugrana president claims Barcelona were wrong to let Lionel Messi leave; Parisians interested in French midfielder, and more - 16th October 2021
PSG were without Lionel Messi for their game against Angers, but the Ligue 1 giants managed to gather all three points.
The Parisians came back from 0-1 down to win 2-1, thanks to a Danilo Pereira strike and a late Kylian Mbappe penalty. With the win, PSG are a whopping nine points clear of second-placed Lens at the top of the 2021-22 Ligue 1 table.
FULL-TIME: @PSG_English 2-1 Angers!
Goals from @iamDaniloP and @KMbappe complete the comeback and earn the Parisians all 3️⃣ points!
#PSGSCO https://t.co/VBEPUvtrbl
Meanwhile, a former Barcelona president has claimed that the Blaugrana were wrong to let Lionel Messi join PSG. Elsewhere, the Parisians are keeping a close eye on a French midfielder who plays for Monaco.
On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on 16th October 2021.
Former Barcelona president claims Blaugrana erred in letting Lionel Messi join PSG
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has claimed the Blaugrana were wrong to let Lionel Messi leave the club this summer.
The Argentinean was forced to depart the Camp Nou after the La Liga giants decided not to renew his contract, which expired this summer. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was immediately snapped up by PSG, and is beginning to settle into his new surroundings in Paris.
Bartomeu believes Barcelona made a mistake by not holding on to Messi. While the Argentinean joined PSG, the Blaugrana are struggling in his absence. Interestingly, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner asked to leave last year when Bartomeu was in charge at the Camp Nou. But he changed his mind after the former president was ousted from the club.
ON THIS DAY: In 2004, a 17-year old Lionel Messi made his Barcelona debut against Espanyol.
🏆 10x LaLiga
🏆 7x Supercopa de España
🏆 7x Copa del Rey
🏆 6x Ballon d'Or
🏆 6x European Golden Shoe
🏆 4x Champions League
🏆 3x UEFA Super Cup
🏆 3x Club World Cup
GOAT. 🐐 https://t.co/Am5KqrJ4Bj
Speaking in a recent interview, as relayed by IBN Times, Bartomeu claimed he did everything to keep Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou during his tenure.
"They let Messi leav,e and that seems like a bad decision to me. As president, I didn't want Messi to leave, and I did everything I could to prevent it from happening," said Bartomeu.
PSG interested in Aurelien Tchouameni
PSG are interested in Aurelien Tchouameni, according to PSG Talk. The Parisians want to add more quality to their midfield next year. The Ligue 1 giants brought in Georginio Wijnaldum this summer, but that move has not yielded the desired results yet.
PSG were linked with the likes of Paul Pogba and Eduardo Camvinga this summer. With Camavinga joining Real Madrid and Pogba also preferring a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, the Parisians have turned their attention to Tchouameni. The Ligue 1 giants want to add world-class midfielders to match the quality of Marco Verratti, and the Monaco star fits the bill.
Karim Benzema confident of Kylian Mbappe's arrival at Real Madrid
Karim Benzema has added to speculation by once again talking about Kylian Mbappe’s future. The PSG star remains heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, even though the Parisians have rejected all advances from Los Blancos so far.
Speaking to RTVE Deportes, as relayed by PSG Talk, Benzema heaped praise on his countryman. He claimed that they could play together at the Santiago Bernabeu one day.
"Do I want to play with Kylian at Madrid? I’ve said it before, and if you want, I’ll say it again. Of course, one day. He is a great player, but you have to respect PSG," said Benzema.