Messi swap deal planned after Chelsea owner Boehly's secret transfer meeting

07 June 2023 , 21:43

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Messi swap deal planned after Chelsea owner Boehly's secret transfer meeting

Chelsea will look to sign Neymar this summer as Paris Saint-Germain hope to land Bernardo Silva following the exit of Lionel Messi.

The Argentine superstar confirmed on Wednesday night that he was joining MLS club Inter Miami in a wide-ranging interview discussing the decision. It came following the conclusion of his two-year stay in the French capital.

Manchester City ace Silva has emerged as a serious contender to lead the incomings at the Parc des Princes this summer in light of Messi’s exit. The Portugal international had been on Barcelona's wanted list for the past year with boss Xavi Hernandez confirming they wanted a deal last summer, which did not come to fruition.

While neither Messi nor Silva will be going to Barca this summer, the latter could be replacing the former in the French capital. That is according to Le10 Sport in France, which claims that Manchester City is a priority for the Ligue 1 champions.

The same report adds that Chelsea want to sign PSG attacking superstar Neymar. Mirror Football understands that the Parisians are open to offers for the Brazilian this summer as they look to reduce their wage bill and revamp their squad.

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Neymar, 31, has suffered another campaign blighted by injuries. One of the club’s top earners who carries a high status, he remains the most expensive player in the world following his £198million switch from Barcelona in 2017.

Neymar is a transfer target for Chelsea (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

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PSG are unlikely to repeat those high-profile deals under their new internal direction and that leads to uncertainty over the Brazilian’s future. Chelsea owner Boehly held a meeting earlier this year to probe Neymar’s availability, and that interest now appears to have been rekindled this summer.

Boehly reportedly flew into the French capital in February to meet with PSG chiefs ahead of the first leg of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. Neymar has netted 118 goals in 173 appearances for the French club but there has been a lingering sense that he has failed to hit the huge expectations that many predicted.

There is believed to be interest in Neymar from at least one other Premier League club, but there may not be many options for the former Barca star’s exit this summer. He is at the stage of his career, increasingly blighted by injury issues, that this may be viewed as his last opportunity for a big-money transfer.

Colin Millar