Lionel Messi picks Mohamed Salah over Neymar in Liverpool blow

Posted Friday, June 29, 2018 by Express.co.uk

Lionel Messi picks Mohamed Salah over Neymar in Liverpool blow
Lionel Messi will not welcome Neymar back to the Nou Camp

BARCELONA star Lionel Messi wants the club to sign Liverpool's Mohamed Salah instead of PSG forward Neymar, reports claim.

Barcelona star Messi has reportedly blocked the Catalan giants from signing Neymar, a year after his controversial exit.

The Brazil international turned his back on the Nou Camp last summer, ditching Barca for PSG.

Since then, however, reports have claimed the 26-year-old wants to leave and return to Barcelona.

Yet Spanish website El Gol Digital say Messi is not willing to welcome the forward back to the club.

Neymar quit the Catalan giants after growing frustrated of strutting his stuff in Messi’s shadow.

It was a decision that supposedly stemmed from Barca’s 6-1 win over PSG in March 2017, where Neymar scored twice.

Despite that, though, it was Messi who spearheaded the back - and front - pages the following day.

El Gol Digital say Messi is angry at Neymar for the way he brokered his Barcelona exit.

And, as a result, he would prefer the club to sign Salah from Liverpool.

The Egypt international’s World Cup is over after they were dumped out of a group consisting of Russia, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

Salah did, though, blitz a huge 44 goals as Liverpool reached the Champions League final last season.

Speaking in May, however, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was adamant his star performer was not for sale.

"It's not the situation where I would even think about it," said Klopp, when asked if Salah could leave.

"Mo Salah came in nine months ago to make the next step in his career and he did it. To come to Liverpool, he had different options and he wanted to come here, so if we always start talking after a year 'will he leave' - I don't think about it.

"I'm confident. I think, no I don't think, I know he will be here.

"We don't want change all the time. We have a big chance here to create something for the future. My impression at the moment is they are all excited about being in this group."