Barcelona Transfer News: Paul Pogba Reveals Lionel Messi 'Advice' Amid Rumours

Juventus star Paul Pogba continues to be linked with a transfer move to Barcelona, and his revelation he had an “intimate” talk with Lionel Messi at the Ballon d'Or gala will only add fuel to the fire.

As reported by Catalan-based daily Sport, the French midfielder sat down with Telefoot on Sunday for an interview in which he revealed the two stars had a conversation at the gala, where the Argentinian gave him some advice: "Leo Messi gave me some advice. I play to be No. 1, I don't want to be No. 2. My challenge is to win the Ballon d'Or."

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Sport (h/t MailOnline's Nicholas Godden) previously claimed Pogba is desperate to play for the Catalans and that he will decline moves to Manchester City and Chelsea to make his dreams come true.

The report even claimed he'd be willing to take a pay cut, which is significant news given Barcelona's financial issues. The Catalans can't afford to add to their wage bill, the reason why forward Neymar continues to be linked with a move away as well, per Sky Sports' Guillem Balague:

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Barcelona cannot afford to give new contracts to Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar as it stands - financially they do not have the power to do so. They need to bring a lot of money in, if they do that they will be able to keep them, but if they don't they may have to get rid of one. That's why Neymar keeps leaving the door open for United and others.

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The club is struggling to find the money to hand new contracts to its top players as it stands—adding even more simply isn't a possibility at this moment.

But that won't stop the local press from linking high-priced players with a move to the Camp Nou, per La Liga blogger Rafael Hernandez:

Pogba has rebounded after a sloppy start to the season and once again looks like the best young midfielder in the world, playing a key role in Juventus' resurgence and rise to the top of the Serie A standings.

The Bianconeri were always likely to struggle after losing midfield stars Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo during the summer, and no one struggled more than Pogba, who was tasked to pick up the pieces and tried to do too much on his own.

Once Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio returned from injury, Pogba started playing his best football again, however, leading to a spot on UEFA's Team of the Year, per the organisation's official website.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Pogba remains a divisive player who can sometimes disappear for large stretches of a match only to steal the show with an incredible piece of skill or a stunning long-range goal. But while consistency may still elude him, it's easy to forget he's still just 22 years old, and his long-term potential is still off the charts.

He has already won three Serie A titles and played a big part in Juventus' run to the UEFA Champions League final last season. Those are sensational accomplishments for such a young player. Pogba very much looks like a future Ballon d'Or winner, and any club in world football would love to add him to their squad.

Juventus have done a fantastic job of keeping their young talent at the club in recent years, however, and they are not a selling club. Unless a team is willing to spend a huge amount of money, the Italians will not be tempted to sell.

Even if Pogba is willing to take a pay cut, Barcelona would still have to find a way to put together enough cash to convince the Bianconeri, and that will not be an easy feat.

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