Why PSG Are Wasting Their Time Even Considering Signing Barcelona's Lionel Messi

Paris Saint-Germain might well still be in the market for Lionel Messi, and it's understandable why that may be the case.

The French champions are one of a small handful of clubs that could realistically afford to buy Messi outright and pay his astronomical salary.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the figurehead of Qatar Sports Investments who have, to this point, bankrolled the club to the tune of hundreds of millions.

A year ago, he told Simon Kuper of the Financial Times: "We have a very clear vision, to be honest. In five years, we want to be one of the best clubs in Europe and to win the Champions League. And our brand to be worth €1 billion. And we will be there."

Regular forays into the latter stages of European football's premier club competition have generally been curtailed before the business end of the tournament, despite a hefty outlay on players such as Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

As Chelsea loom large again in this season's competition, manager Laurent Blanc will be looking for an improvement on their last performance in west London to take PSG into the quarter-finals of the competition and one step closer to the realisation of a dream.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

If, ultimately, their European campaign ends in failure again, then clearly Al-Khelaifi will be flexing his very large wallet once more, with Messi as a possible prime target.

Former Barca player Eric Abidal noted in a recent interview with Telefoot (h/t Rupert Fryer of Goal):

"

As he has won everything at Barcelona, he would perhaps consider a new challenge in order to win new things.

It’s possible. PSG has recently forged a group of players with determination and big objectives to reach. It may be a club that could please Messi.

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Clearly, money is no object for PSG, and the challenge of getting the club to the pinnacle of European football might appeal to the Argentinian if boardroom squabbles continue at Barcelona.

That said, at the present time, Messi himself doesn't want to go anywhere, which obviously presents the biggest stumbling block to any courting of the player.

According to an interview given to Barca TV and detailed by Harry Sherlock of Goal, Messi was categorical when suggestions of a move, albeit to England, were made:

"

It is not good to look for rivalry between Luis Enrique and me, because there is none.

We must be more united than ever. [...] We just want to achieve things for the club.
 
I never demanded anything to stay, as I have no intention of leaving.
 
It is said that my father spoke with Man City, with Chelsea. It's all lies, it's all lies.

"

If such a statement wasn't unequivocal enough, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted Messi was "not for sale" and, per an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1 via Barcelona's official website, he went on: "We want to sit down, without any rush, with Leo’s father—it’s not something that’s happening tomorrow, we have plenty of time, but we will do what we have to to ensure he’s the best paid player."

Jose Mourinho, manager of Chelsea and another of two or three teams that could potentially afford Messi, has also put paid to the notion of the player leaving Catalonia:

The mention of financial fair play by the Portuguese is pertinent too, of course.

PSG would need to clear the decks to ensure that Messi could be accommodated, which is counter-productive to what they are trying to achieve.

Time to put this one to bed once and for all. It's not happening.