Laporta warns PSG to be ‘respectful’ to Barcelona with Messi pursuit

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has warned that PSG must be respectful in their pursuit of star player Lionel Messi.

Following Barca’ humiliating exit at the hands of Bayern in the Champions League last season, Messi requested to leave the club for the first time in his career in order to move on to pastures new.

The Argentine asked to leave that summer, only for his request to be denied, which led to him agreeing to stay for at least another season.

As of 1 January he is free to talk to other clubs about moving in the summer, with Barcelona set to receive no transfer fee.

PSG are thought to be leading the race for his signature, with sporting director Leonardo recently saying the club were watching Messi’s situation at the Camp Nou “closely”.

Laporta, who is one of several candidates in line to take over the Barcelona presidency, has urged the Ligue 1 champions to maintain their respect in their transfer dealings, however.

“I have read that PSG has losses and we will talk about whether they can take over depending on which signings,” Laporta told TVE with regards to PSG overtaking Barcelona as an elite side in Europe, and then Messi.

“I would ask that if we have to be respectful according to what actions, we would also ask PSG to be respectful with Barça and not try to destabilize us. “

FootballTransfers previously exclusively revealed that PSG had told merchants within the city to prepare themselves for an influx of Messi merchandise.