Lionel Messi 'wants Angel Di Maria to join him at Barcelona'

According to reports in Spain, Messi is keen to see Barca land his Argentina team-mate after he helped destroy their Champions League prospects with a 4-0 thumping in Paris in the last-16 first leg at the Parc des Princes last week.

Messi apparently feels the prospects of Barcelona signing the former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger will be strengthened if Sevilla's Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli replaces Luis Enrique at the end of the season.

He is also reported to want his friend 29-year-old Di Maria to provide Barca with extra options outside of their traditional front three of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

Di Maria has scored eight times for PSG this season in 29 appearances.

His links to Real Madrid would not be a problem to such a transfer, more the cost of any deal. PSG don't need to sell and will not let Di Maria leave on the cheap after signing the player from Manchester United for around £44m a year after he left the Bernabeu for Old Trafford for around £59m in 2014.

Whether or not Enrique will be manager next season after the thumping in Paris must also be open to some doubt. Barca's form in Europe has been unreliable, and it would be a major unknown if a new coach would look at Di Maria as a figure who would be the answer to Barca's problems when they remain a serious attacking force.

In saying that, Messi's word holds a lot of clout in Barcelona.