Top Player Has ‘Obsession’ With Joining Barcelona And Being Lionel Messi’s Teammate

One elite footballer retains an obsession with joining Barcelona and is "desperate" to play alongside Lionel Messi.

According to reports in the Spanish media, it's none other than Neymar - who played at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017 and retains a strong friendship with Messi.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker, whose contract ends next summer, has said publicly how happy he is at the club this year. However, according to a report in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Neymar is secretly pushing for a return to the Camp Nou behind the scenes.

• Pep Guardiola makes statement over Lionel Messi's future

The Brazilian ace left Barca for PSG in a sensational, £198 million move four years ago. But there have long been stories that he wishes to return to Barcelona, that the club would welcome his return and - particularly - that Messi would be happy at the return of his former teammate.

However Neymar's "obsession" with playing alongside Messi once more is apparently the driving factor in the player's desire to rejoin Barca.

PSG are reportedly aware of this and it's part of the reason why they are determined to sign Messi to a whopping contract if he decides to leave Barcelona, as he appeared close to doing last summer. That way the Messi-Neymar reunion would happen in Paris.

The Ligue 1 club are also pushing for the 29-year-old Brazilian to sign a contract extension and he's been publicly positive about that in recent months.

"I have got time on my contract here at PSG," stated Neymar. "We want to do what is the best for everyone.

"I have already said that I am happy here and I feel much better than in the previous seasons."

However the truth, according to the Spanish press at least, is that Neymar is still pushing for a return to Barcelona and another stint playing alongside his friend Messi.

Will we see Messi and Neymar reunited at the Camp Nou - or in Paris - in 2021/22? Or will a reunion simply never happen now?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

All imagery: PA Images

Topics: Barcelona, Neymar, Lionel Messi, Paris Saint Germain

Alex Reid

Alex Reid is a writer at SPORTbible who’s previously strung words together for FourFourTwo, Boxing News, The Guardian and, yes, Cruise International (it’s about big ships, not Tom). Interests range from football and boxing to real sports like WWE and darts. He is not a cage fighter.

@otheralexreid