Tempted to sign Lionel Messi but the financial situation complicated things, claims Leonardo
PSG sporting director Leonardo has confessed that while the Parisians were tempted to sign Lionel Messi, the Argentine’s wages combined with a potential transfer fee put them off the deal. The 33-year-old sent a thunderbolt through football when he decided to leave Barcelona before choosing not to.
After weeks of speculation and rumours, in the end, Barcelona captain Lionel Messi opted to stay at his boyhood club because he didn’t want to fight the La Liga giants in court. The Argentine dropped a bombshell when he announced his intention to leave the Camp Nou this summer on a free-transfer which did not sit well with Barcelona. The Spanish giants insisted that any buyer would have to pay the 33-year-old’s release clause with rumours revealing that Barcelona were willing to go to court to decide Messi’s future.
However, the Argentine’s U-turn ensured that a court decision wouldn’t be needed but for just under ten days, clubs were dreaming about their own potential move for Messi. While Manchester City were touted as the favourites thanks to Pep Guardiola and their financial standing, PSG were also in the running. Leonardo, PSG’s sporting director, has confirmed that the club were “tempted” to make a move but the financial implications changed their mind.
"Today when you think about the financial situation it's complicated. When we are told Messi wants to leave, we are tempted. You say to yourself, will it be f*cking possible? They are players completely out of any discussion. I don't know, David Beckham ended up at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi ending up in Paris? I don't know. It's football, in the end, everyone's sitting at the table, everyone knows everything, and it's moving forward," Leonardo told Telefoot.
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