NFLNBAMLBNHLWNBASoccerGolf
Featured Video
Mbappé's Rollercoaster Season 🎢
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 23: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates after the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Deportivo La Coruna at Camp Nou on May 23, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 23: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates after the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Deportivo La Coruna at Camp Nou on May 23, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Transfers 'Realistic,' Claims PSG President

Nick AkermanMay 26, 2015

Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi believes it is "realistic" the Ligue 1 champions could sign Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo one day.

Al-Khelaifi spoke to Football Focus (h/t BBC Sport) about the club's progression, and how they could lure the sport's most iconic players:

"It is realistic (signing players like Messi and Ronaldo); everything is possible here in our club," said Al-Khelaifi. "Every year, our ambition is to win the Champions League. We are almost there. We are already in the top eight for the last three years, which is a good sign."

TOP NEWS

Real Madrid CF v Girona FC - LaLiga EA Sports
Real Betis V Real Madrid - Laliga Ea Sports
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 17: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF kicks the ball next to Alvaro Gonzalez of RCD Espanyol during the La Liga match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF at Cornella-El Prat Stadium on May 17, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo

However, Al-Khelaifi believes the Premier League's recent £5.14 billion television rights deal, which dwarfs the £515 million agreement in Ligue 1 and others in the Bundesliga and La Liga, will see English teams dominate the Champions League in years to come.

Al-Khelaifi suggests UEFA needs to update its financial fair play rules—which currently tasks clubs with breaking even under an annually tightening set of guidelines—to ensure Europe's biggest teams remain competitive with those in England, per BBC Sport:

"

We've been telling our friends in UEFA that (the current FFP rules) really are not fair, especially now with the TV rights in the Premier League. FFP will be there, so it's going to be difficult not only for us but for the Germans and the Spanish. In four years, if they don't change it, you'll find four Premier League clubs in the Champions League semi-finals.

"
BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 21:  Lionel Messi of Barcelona evades Marco Verratti of PSG during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou on April 21, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.  (Photo by

PSG shot to continental prominence after being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011. Heavy expenditure—including the arrival of world superstars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani—has led the team to three consecutive league titles in France (having won just two previously).

However, a failure to adhere to UEFA's guidelines saw the club fined and hit with a squad cap during the summer, slowing down the investment process.

Michael Platini, President of the European governing body, recently suggested FFP rules could be "eased," per French station RTL (h/t Matt Slater of BBC Sport), a development that would allow PSG to try to sign expensive stars such as Messi and Ronaldo.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 21:  Zlatan Ibrahimovic of PSG takes on Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou on April 21, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.  (Ph

Reports of a bid for Ronaldo have littered the European press in recent times, per Bleacher Report's French football expert Jonathan Johnson:

Interestingly, former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal suggested Messi may be tempted by a switch to the Parc des Princes, as reported by TF1 (h/t Ian Holyman of ESPN FC): "Having won everything with Barcelona, perhaps he would like a different challenge, being able to win trophies with another club, that remains a possibility."

Al-Khelaifi was previously quoted as saying, "If we didn't have any (spending) limit, we'd bring in Messi," per L'Equipe (h/t Simon Rice of the Independent).

Ibrahimovic's capture was undoubtedly huge for PSG, but the Swede has spent his career being carted between seven clubs in five different countries. Messi has only ever represented Barca at senior level and remains a symbol of the side's successful era.

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 07:  PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi celebrates after the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Stade Rennais FC at Parc des Princes on May 7, 2014 in Paris, France.  PSG lost the match 1-2 but still won the 2014 Ligue 1 Champi

Ronaldo, who has played for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and Madrid, will also be remembered alongside Pele, Diego Maradona and the undoubted legendary names of the sport.

Landing either would signal PSG's intent in becoming the greatest club in the world, but as noted by Al-Khelaifi, they need changes to be made to UEFA's current rules to let this happen.

Mbappé's Rollercoaster Season 🎢

TOP NEWS

Real Madrid CF v Girona FC - LaLiga EA Sports
Real Betis V Real Madrid - Laliga Ea Sports
United States v Japan - International Friendly
FIFA World Cup 2026 Venues - New York New Jersey Stadium

TRENDING ON B/R