PSG sporting director Leonardo plays down Lionel Messi rumours after Neymar spoke about reunion

‘We have to maintain respect. He’s a Barcelona player’: PSG sporting director Leonardo plays down Lionel Messi rumours after Neymar spoke about reunion with his former team-mate next season

  • Neymar sparked frenzied rumours with talks over reunion with Lionel Messi
  • Argentine is in the final year of Barcelona contract and could leave in summer 
  • But PSG sporting director Leonardo has moved to play down the speculation
  • He insisted PSG wouldn’t speak about players from other teams out of respect 

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has played down the prospect of the club signing Lionel Messi if he leaves Barcelona next year.

Speculation over the Argentine star’s future is growing as he plays out the final season of his contract and only intensified when Neymar said he would love to be reunited with Messi in Paris.

Leonardo attempted to pour cold water on the increasingly frenzied rumours in the wake of the Brazilian’s remarks.

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has played down speculation that former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi (left) and Neymar (right) could be reunited in Paris

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has played down speculation that former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi (left) and Neymar (right) could be reunited in Paris

Leonardo said PSG wouldn't talk about the prospect of Messi joining the club next summer

Leonardo said PSG wouldn’t talk about the prospect of Messi joining the club next summer

‘You know, it’s normal for Neymar to say that to an Argentinian journalist. He had to talk about Messi, it’s normal,’ he told Canal+.

‘We have to maintain respect for others. He’s a Barcelona player. When somebody talks about our players, we are not happy.

‘So we don’t touch other people’s players. Now is not the time to think about the transfer window.

‘We are very happy with the squad we have. We are thinking of our season and the end of the first part of the season, which was very complicated.

‘We have to stay focused on our goals such as qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League. And also we gave to think about Ligue 1 and avoid finding ourselves in a complicated situation. Let’s keep our focus.’

The pair linked up extremely well in attack at the Nou Camp between 2013 and 2017

The pair linked up extremely well in attack at the Nou Camp between 2013 and 2017

His comments echoed those of PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi last week when he said: ‘Messi is a Barcelona player. I can’t talk about that.’

Neymar and Messi played together at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, during which time they won two LaLiga titles, three Spanish Cups and the Champions League in 2015.

Neymar had said following PSG’s 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League: ‘What I want the most is to enjoy playing with him again.’

When asked when the potential reunion would take place, he added while laughing: ‘He can play in my role, it wouldn’t be a problem with me! For sure, next year we have to do it.’

Neymar was instrumental in PSG's 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League

Neymar was instrumental in PSG’s 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League

Messi, 33, was unable to force through a transfer to Manchester City last summer and now Barcelona risk losing him for nothing next summer if they can’t tie him to a new contract.

The Argentine has scored seven goals and contributed four assists in 13 matches so far this season though Barcelona are seventh in the league table – already 12 points off leaders Atletico Madrid – and lost 2-1 at Cadiz on Saturday night.

source: dailymail.co.uk