Barcelona Transfer News: Lionel Messi Will Never Be Sold, Latest on Paul Pogba

Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has admitted Lionel Messi is welcome at the Camp Nou until he decides to retire.

Speaking to Radio Monte Carlo ahead of Barca's Champions League quarter-final second leg with Paris Saint-Germain, Bartomeu admitted the club will do all they can to maintain Messi's presence (via AS): "We work with a leader like Messi, who is the best in the world, but surely also in history. He has a place here until he decides to quit football."

Messi himself has previously admitted he wants to remain with Barcelona "forever."

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

The Argentinian continues to define his team's success, scoring 46 goals in as many games across La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League play this season, per WhoScored.com.

Although he was linked with an unlikely departure in January, this kickstarted a run of form that could end with Barca winning all three trophies this season.

Progress has been made under Luis Enrique, despite FIFA's transfer ban stopping the club from signing anyone until 2016. This hasn't halted speculation linking the club to Juventus starlet Paul Pogba, per Sport (h/t David Hughes of The Independent).

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Bartomeu admits his admiration for the player, but he insists Barcelona aren't considering signing him yet, per AS: "Pogba is a great player, but in this moment we are not thinking about additions. It's true that we have a FIFA sanction that prevents us from recruiting until January 2016. We work so that some players arrive, others can leave."

Optimistic Barca fans will note the use of "for the moment" in Bartomeu's next comment, per AS:

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We are preparing for next season, but we will not provide the names here. Pogba is a good player, one who has a contract with an Italian team that I respect a lot. For the moment, it is not expected that we recruit, but everyone wants to have the great players. Also, we have players that the others (clubs) would like to have.

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B/R UK's James McNicholas recently discussed the best possible transfers for Pogba:

A report by Il Quotidiano Sportivo (h/t Football Italia) suggested Juventus have confirmed the signing of Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani but that this transfer will only go through if Pogba is sold.

This was allegedly confirmed by a text message from an unnamed director, who wrote, "We've signed Cavani, it's all done, it'll only fall through if we don't sell Pogba."

Bartomeu appears to be keeping his options open, remaining diplomatic with talk regarding the French midfielder. Pogba's all-around game has already developed into something special—he is a fierce tackler, a clever distributor and contributes in the attacking third—so his name is likely to dominate the summer market.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Unfortunately for Barca, the only business they can confirm during the summer will involve departures. If Pogba is still available in January, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Bartomeu change his tone.