PSG Transfer News Roundup: Marquinhos slams Lionel Messi treatment; Bernardo Silva sent warning regarding Paris move, and more - May 20, 2023
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are preparing to face Auxerre on Sunday (May 21) in Ligue 1. Christophe Galtier’s team will go a step closer to winning the league if they pick up three points this weekend.
Meanwhile, Marquinhos has criticised fans for whistling attacker Lionel Messi. Elsewhere, a former player has warned Bernardo Silva about a move to Paris. On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on May 20, 2023:
Marquinhos slams Lionel Messi treatment
Marquinhos has slammed PSG fans for whistling Lionel Messi. The Argentinean was subject to jeers from a small section of the Parc des Princes crowd during the win over Ajaccio last weekend. The 35-year-old has endured a frosty relationship with fans since joining the Parisians.
Messi’s contract is up in the summer, but he;s yet to commit his future to the club. The Ligue 1 champions want to keep him in Paris, but the recent episode is likely to jeopardise their plans.
Speaking recently, Marquinhos said that fans should have whistled the entire team instead of targeting a single player.
“I always respect protests when they are peaceful, at the times and places where it is necessary. Above all, I ask the supporters not to target one player or another. It must always be collective. A player doesn't walk on his own. He's not going to do anything on his own,” said Marquinhos.
Barcelona are keen to sign Messi on a Bosman move this summer, while Inter Miami are also interested in the Argentinean.
Bernardo Silva sent warning regarding Paris move
Former PSG winger Jerome Rothen has warned Bernardo Silva that he shouldn’t join the club simply for moentary reasons.
The Portuguese ace has been outstanding for Manchester City this season, and the Parisians have reportedly identified him as a replacement for Messi. Silva has all the attributes required to succeed in Ligue 1.
Speaking to RMC Sport, Rothen was full of praise of Silva:
“Bernardo Silva would make a huge mistake if he came only for economic reasons and living environment. I am sure that PSG will sign him because he is a star. Bernardo Silva plays for his teammates. He knows how to finish, He is intelligent. He really is the player who best reflects what Guardiola wants to put on the field. He has it all. This player has class,” said Rothen.
He added:
"The president or the emir are not supposed to be concerned with building a team. They decide to sign names. They love Bernardo Silva, especially with the game he played on Wednesday. It is not a money problem for them. They don't want Bernardo Silva for collective construction."
Silva has appeared 52 times across competitions for the Cityzens this season, registering seven goals and as many assists.
PSG obsessed with winning Champions League, says Ander Herrera
Former PSG midfielder Ander Herrera reckons the club are obsessed with winning the UEFA Champions League.
The Parisians have switched multiple manager with the hope of winning the coveted tournament. However, the closest they have come has been under Thomas Tuchel, when they ended up short in the final in 2020.
Herrera was in the squad for the Ligue 1 champions that season and moved to Athletic Bilbao in January this year. The Spaniard told bEIN Sport also said that Messi has borne the brunt of PSG’s failure to win the Champions League.
“I admired him before knowing him (Lionel Messi), and I admire him even more after meeting him, as a person and as a footballer. I understand that PSG is a club that doesn’t have a lot of patience. There’s an obsession with winning the Champions League. That doesn’t help. I think it’s the only club in the world where, if they don’t win the Champions League, it’s a failure,” said Herrera.
He continued:
“All the other teams can have good seasons without winning it, like Barcelona for example. But in Paris, there isn’t that patience and calmness, even though things take time. I was very close to winning it, one goal separated me from winning the Champions League with PSG. It’s true that there’s an obsession, and in the end who pays for it? The best players, they are the ones who receive criticism.”
The Parisians are likely to let Christophe Galtier go this summer after his failure to cut a chord in the Champions League.