Interim Barca head says would have sold Messi, shoots down Neymar reunion
Tusquets conceded that Neymar joining Messi would be an unlikely scenario at the Nou Camp, where he said the purse strings have been tightened following the COVID-19 crisis
Barcelona’s interim president Carlos Tusquets -- who stepped in as a temporary arrangement ater Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned -- feels the club should have cashed-in on Lionel Messi during the summer transfer window.
Messi was heavily linked with a move to Manchester City and sent a recorded delivery (Burofax) leter stating his intention to leave. He later said the decision was due to being disillusioned with the direction the now former board had taken the club.
Ex-barca president Bartomeu resigned in October rather than face a vote of no confidence, with Tusquets taking temporary charge until January’s elections.
“Economically speaking, I would’ve sold Messi in the summer window,” Tusquets told RAC1 radio station.
“Both in terms of what you save on the wage bill as well as the money you make, it would’ve been desirable. But this is something the coaching staff have to consent to and that’s not my place.
“La Liga are seting salary limits at the moment and this would’ve helped on that front.” Messi’s current contract expires in June, when he is expected to leave for free and on Wednesday former Barca team-mate Neymar spoke of his desire to link up with the Argentine again.
“What I want most of all is to play with Messi again, to be able to enjoy him once again on the pitch,” he said ater his club PSG’S 3-1 Champions League win against Manchester United.
Tusquets conceded that scenario was unlikely to transpire at the Nou Camp, where the purse strings have been tightened following the COVID-19 crisis.
“If he (Neymar) became available on a free transfer then maybe we could think about signing him,” he said.
“Without making sales, there’s no money for new signings unless the new president has incredibly deep pockets.”
NEYMAR FOR MESSI REUNION: Neymar had dropped a bombshell on Wednesday as he followed up scoring twice for Paris SaintGermain in their 3-1 Champions League win over Manchester United by revealing his desire to reunite with Lionel Messi next season.
The Brazilian enjoyed four successful seasons alongside the six-time Ballon d’or winner at Barcelona before making a world record 222 million euro ($264m) move to the French capital in 2017.
“It’s what I most want, to enjoy being with him on the field again,” Neymar, whose contract at PSG runs until 2022, told ESPN.
“I want to play with him for sure, next year we have to do it.”
Neymar was heavily linked with a return to Barcelona in 2019, but the Catalan giants were unable to fund an acceptable offer for PSG.
Barca have had to agree salary cuts worth 122 million euros in players’ salaries this season to help offset the financial hole let by the coronavirus pandemic and are highly unlikely to be in a position to bring Neymar back next year.
Instead, it is Messi who could be on the move as the Argentine is out of contract at the end of the season and publicly expressed his desire to leave in August.
“He can play in my position, there is no problem,” Neymar joked. “Take me out.”
Neymar’s partnership with Kylian Mbappe is yet to deliver PSG’S first ever Champions League title, but the French champions should have another shot in this season’s knockout stages ater a vital victory in Manchester.
Thomas Tuchel’s men are now level on points with United and RB Leipzig with one game in Group H to come.
But PSG are in the driving seat as they host already-eliminated Istanbul Basaksehir next week, while United travel to Germany needing a point to reach the last 16.