'Messi is very welcome!' - Tuchel invites Mr. Barcelona to PSG

Thomas Tuchel invited ‘Mr. Barcelona’ Lionel Messi to join PSG should he decide to leave Camp Nou in the near future.

Messi’s future continues to be shrouded in doubt amid rumors he told new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman last week that he doesn’t see himself in Catalonia much longer.

A first trophyless season since 2007/08, on top of growing tensions with the club board, has left Messi to question whether it’s time to end his career-long association at Camp Nou for challenges elsewhere.

Where the six-time Ballon d’Or winner could go next remains uncertain, though. A return to Newell’s Old Boys in his native Argentina has always been on his radar. But should he wish to continue in Europe, PSG are one of few clubs who could afford him.

“He [Messi] is very welcome!” Tuchel told BT Sport.

“We lost lots of players for this campaign only and we lose now Thiago Silva and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. We need to use the transfer window now to make the squad bigger.

“The campaign will be very demanding without any breaks. We need to build a strong, strong squad.

“We decided not to talk about transfers in this period here. We will sit together in the next days. We have many things to do to keep the level of the squad.”

Nevertheless, the PSG boss expects Messi will see out the rest of his playing days with the Blaugrana despite doubts suggesting otherwise.

He added: “What coach says no to Messi? I think Messi finishes his career in Barcelona. He is Mr. Barcelona.”

Tuchel was speaking following PSG’s 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, who thrashed Messi’s Barcelona 8-2 in the quarter-finals, in Sunday’s Champions League final.