Lionel Messi's stance on Neymar's future revealed amid rumours of Brazilian's PSG exit - Reports
Lionel Messi does not want his friend and fellow forward Neymar Jr. to leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer, according to La Nacion (via Le10Sport).
The Brazilian superstar is facing an uncertain future in the French capital. According to Marca, Neymar has decided to leave the club he arrived at in 2017 for a world-record fee of €222 million. That comes after the Parisian giants' decision to offload the Brazilian superstar this summer. The superstar is reportedly irked by comments made by club president Nasser al-Khelaifi.
However, Messi has a different view regarding the future of his attacking partner. The 35-year-old wants the Brazilian to stay at the Parc des Princes beyond the summer, having spent only one season together in Paris. It's not known if Messi's opinion would matter in Neymar's future at the club.
Neymar wishing Lionel Messi happy birthday on Instagram. https://t.co/JA8e0jAsNk
Reports about the 30-year-old forward's decision to leave have attracted a lot of potential suitors. According to Marca, Chelsea and Manchester United are among the clubs interested in signing the former Barcelona forward this summer.
It's worth mentioning that there are very few clubs in the world that can afford the Brazilian's wages. According to reports, the PSG star earns around €30 million per year. He also has a contract with the Parisian outfit till the summer of 2025, which makes it even more difficult for interested parties to sign him.
Lionel Messi and Neymar had mediocre 2021-22 campaigns for PSG
Lionel Messi and Neymar endured pretty underwhelming campaigns at PSG last season. They were comfortably outscored by their attacking colleague Kylian Mbappe.
Neymar, 30, had an injury-hit 2021-22 campaign. He only played 28 times last season but contributed 13 goals and eight assists across competitions. Messi, meanwhile, endured a tough start after arriving on a free transfer last summer. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner ended the 2021-22 campaign with 11 goals and 15 assists across competitions but did win Ligue 1.
Paul Merson believes that while Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would be fun to watch at Paris Saint-Germain, they would still fall short of the Champions League title. dlvr.it/STDwFK
Both superstars will look for a great start to their 2022-23 campaign, regardless of where they play. Lionel Messi and Neymar are key players for Argentina and Brazil, respectively, and will look to go all the way at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.