Over already? Herrera reveals why PSG may lose Messi transfer race

The Parisians are said to be Man City’s biggest rivals for Messi, but Herrera thinks a transfer to France is unlikely.

Ander Herrera reckons UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules may pour cold water on the tantalizing prospect of Lionel Messi linking up with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi is out of contract with Barcelona at the end of the season. He has refused to rule out ending a career-long association at Camp Nou in the summer in favor of becoming a free agent, keeping suitors on high alert.

Manchester City and PSG are the reported favorites to sign him if he is to leave Barcelona.

Lionel Messi on the cover of France Football in a PSG kit. pic.twitter.com/A1J6HERxIa

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) February 8, 2021

But while not having to pay the Argentine’s €700m release clause is a huge coup, Herrera suggests Messi’s wage demands could prove a stumbling block due to the FFP rules.

“Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe together? I don’t know how that would work with Financial Fair Play, but I don’t think so,” he told El Larguero.

“I respect Barcelona, their coach, and Messi so I’m not going to get into this one.”

Herrera’s PSG teammates Angel Di Maria and Marco Verratti recently discussed their interest in the six-time Ballon d’Or winner joining the club – much to Barcelona’s fury.

The former Manchester United midfielder added: “When everyone at Barca was talking about Neymar, inside and outside the club, we did not like it.

“I’m not going to do something that I don’t like being done to me. I have a lot of respect for Barca, Messi, his coach, and his teammates.

“It is not a strategy. Me, I will not speak about him. I respect those who do it, but I put myself in the shoes of the club in which Messi has evolved.

“If I were I at Barca, I would not like people talking about Messi. It does not seem to me to be a lack of respect, but I will not do it.”