Possibility of Moving Lionel Messi to PSG?

Eric Abidal, former Barcelona player, believes teammate Lionel Messi could be interested in a move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) if he wants “a different challenge.” Abidal, 35, played alongside Messi, 27, during a six-year spell at Barca, winning four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues. The pair have remained close since Abidal’s departure from the Camp Nou in 2013, and the former France international defender said that Messi, has been repeatedly linked to PSG, could be tempted by a move to the French capital.

“Having won everything with Barcelona, perhaps he would like a different challenge, being able to win trophies with another club, that remains a possibility,” Abidal, who announced his retirement in December, said. “It’s true that PSG has, for a while now, been able to put a good squad together, a good team with an attitude, a desire, a determination and objectives to be achieved. It’s perhaps a club that he would like.”

In January, the sports world claimed PSG president, Nasser Al Khelaifi, approached Messi last summer but was rejected, but went further to say that the Qatari have a plan to bring in the Argentina international to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic when the Swede’s contract expires in 2016. However, speaking to Sport last week, Al Khelaifi, 41, suggested he was not immediately interested in signing Messi nor Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

He said, “The media speak about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s fine for them, but it’s not good for Barcelona or Real Madrid or us. Messi and Ronaldo are at home in Barcelona and Madrid. “I respect these two clubs and I have good relations with their presidents. I respect them a lot. If we were interested in a player of one of these two clubs, I would speak about it to their president. Messi and Ronaldo are happy in their clubs. I respect that.”

This is important to the media as a transfer by Messi or Ronaldo to PSG could affect the league greater than anticipated at the moment. An implication Barcelona would face if Messi joined PSG includes the need for a new right wing/ center forward for the team.