Real Madrid transfer news: Neymar move would be ‘terrible’ says Lionel Messi

Barcelona star striker Lionel Messi has had his say on the rumours that Neymar could join Real Madrid.

Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain last summer in a world record £200m transfer deal, but it’s claimed that the Brazilian star wants to leave France with a return to Spain most likely.

Manchester United have also been linked with a move for the 26-year-old but Real Madrid are favourites to land Neymar.

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If he does join Real it would mean him lining up against his former Barcelona side next season in Spain’s La Liga - and that’s something Messi does not want to see.

Quoted by Sky Sports, Messi told TyC Sports: “It would be terrible, because of everything he means to Barcelona.

“Ney won important trophies here. He won the Champions League and La Liga. It would be a huge blow for everyone. It would make Real Madrid even stronger from a football point of view.”

According to reports earlier this week, Neymar intends to quit PSG this summer. The Sunday Mirror said Real Madrid have been “hovering” and Neymar’s father is thought to have asked agent Pini Zahavi to organise his son’s transfer to the Champions League finalists as soon as possible.

Neymar, however, says he is “tired” of being asked about his future. The Ligue 1 player of the year said: “My goal now is the World Cup. It is not time to talk about transfers. I am a little tired of it now.”