Leonardo de Araújo, sporting director of Paris Saint-Germain confirmed in an interview with France Football magazine that the French club does not lose sight of Lionel Messi and maintains its interest in signing him at the end of this season if the Argentine star decides to leave Barcelona at the conclusion of your contract. “Great players like Messi will always be on PSG’s list”, decided the Brazilian leader.
“Of course, this is not the time to talk or dream about it, but we are sitting at the table of those who are following the case … In fact, we are not seated yet, but our seat is reserved in case …”, revealed Leonardo , who put a special emphasis on the proclamation that there is still time to propose the hiring of the Barça captain.
“Four months in football is an eternity, especially in these times,” he agreed, recalling that Messi warned in his last public appearance, in an interview with La Sexta, that he will not decide his future until the end of the season. , when he announces his intention, he renews his contract with Barça or leaves the club where he developed his entire sports career.
PSG’s priority is to ensure the continuity of Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, the club’s leading footballers and whom Leonardo is confident will keep in Paris. “I hope they are convinced that PSG is a good place at the moment for an ambitious and very high level footballer. We just have to agree between their wishes, their requirements, our expectations and our means,” the sporting director revealed, deciding that “We don’t have to beg them, ‘Please stay.’ “It’s more than that. Those who really want to stay will stay. But we talk regularly and I have good feelings about these two issues,” he said.
Patience and commitment
Leonardo has clarified the patience with which PSG will take over the Messi case in the coming months, paying attention to the Argentine player’s movements and hoping that if he leaves Barça, he can convince him to join the French champion’s project. .
“This relationship is based on Qatar’s emotion and passion for PSG and football … I still think people are not always grateful enough for this commitment,” agreed the leader, who recalled that this past relationship has caused the club he had the opportunity to sign world-class athletes.
“Look at what PSG QSI did for League 1. Shepherd, Ancelotti, Thiago Silva, Ibrahimovic, Beckham, Cavan, Neymar, Mbappé, Marquinhos, Verratti, Mary’s, icard, Navas … They all came. Thanks to whom? Can we not talk all the time about money to appreciate, a little, all the work and commitment to PSG, of course, but also the image and reputation of French football abroad? “Asked Leonardo, who ended with another awkward question: Can we think of the day when Qatar, tired of all these stories, decides to leave?”