Football’s poster-boy Lionel Messi scuppered Philippe Coutinho’s potential move to the Nou Camp, amid rumours Ivan Rakitic or Sergi Roberto would be involved in a swap deal, according to Don Balon.
The 5-time Ballon d’Or winner told the club no more players must be sold, after already losing Neymar to PSG in a world record £198m switch, per The Telegraph.
Despite this, Don Balon claim the Argentina captain would have been satisfied in seeing Arda Turan, Andre Gomes or Paco Alcocer leave for Liverpool in an exchange move, possibly offering a like-for-like replacement.
The Reds rejected a £113m bid from Barcelona, according to BBC Sport, before finally withdrawing their interest on Sunday.
Instead, according to renowned Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, the Cope Del Rey holders are targeting Ousmane Dembele of Borussia Dortmund, Jean Seri of Nice and PSG’s Angel di Maria as possible players to fill the hole left by Neymar.
It is not surprising the club haven taken Messi’s suggestions on board with the enigma of an unsigned new contract still lingering over the Nou Camp like a bad smell.
Anything to appease the king of Catalonia.