Neymar desperate to reunite with Lionel Messi: 'It's what I most want'

PSG striker scored twice against Manchester United on Wednesday to boost his side's chances of reaching the Champions League last 16

Neymar led PSG to a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday. AFP

Brazilian forward Neymar has admitted he is desperate to reunite with former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi and insisted he wants to make it happen next year.

Neymar, 28, enjoyed four successful seasons alongside the six-time Ballon d'Or winner at Barcelona before making a world record €222 million ($264m) move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

"It's what I most want, to enjoy being with him on the field again," Neymar told ESPN on Wednesday after scoring twice against Manchester United to boost PSG's chances of reaching the Champions League last 16.

"I want to play with him for sure, next year we have to do it."

Neymar was heavily linked with a return to Barcelona in 2019, but the Catalan giants were unable to fund an acceptable offer for PSG.

Barca have had to agree salary cuts worth €122m in players' salaries this season to help offset the financial hole left by the coronavirus pandemic and are highly unlikely to be in a position to bring Neymar back next year.

Instead, it is Messi who could be on the move as the Argentine is out of contract at the end of the season and publicly expressed his desire to leave in August.

Then Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu would not free Messi from the final year of his deal at the Camp Nou, but Bartomeu has since resigned with new presidential elections scheduled for January 24.

Manchester City were the favourites to land Messi's signature earlier this year, but PSG could be an alternative for a player who will turn 34 at the end of this season.

"He can play in my position, there is no problem," Neymar jokingly said. "Take me out."

Neymar's partnership with Kylian Mbappe is yet to deliver PSG's first Champions League title, but the French champions should have another shot in this season's knockout stages after a vital victory in Manchester.

Thomas Tuchel's men are now level on points with United and RB Leipzig with one game in Group H to come.

But PSG are in the driving seat as they host already-eliminated Istanbul Basaksehir next week, while United travel to Germany needing a point to reach the last 16.

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Man United v PSG player ratings

MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea - 6. Opposite Keylor Navas, the man he nearly swapped places with in 2015. Conceded three goals, none of them beauties, and none of them the Spaniard’s fault as he scrambled around. Made saves to keep his side in the game. AFP

Aaron Wan Bissaka - 6. Plenty to do against Kylian Mbappe. Superb positioning when chasing a Neymar and Mbappe counter attack. Reuters

Victor Lindelof - 6. Under pressure against two of the best attackers in the world but steadied like his team who were the better side in the second half until conceding a second. Reuters

Harry Maguire - 7. Work cut out – which he would have expected. Tested against one of the best teams in the world. Lovely header to set up Pogba as he turned into an attacker at the end. Slipped on line when Neymar passed in third. Fronted up to speak to the media afterwards, which he hadn’t done after the 1-6 loss to Spurs. EPA

Alex Telles - 6. United’s best defender the previous two games. Less effective and slow for Neymar’s early goal and was turned as his compatriot began the superb move which led to his PSG's third. AFP

Fred - 4. Silly boy. Fortunate to stay on the pitch after head contact with Paredes, who was later booked for another challenge with Fred where the Brazilian caught him. His manager kept him on but the risk was too high as the Fred was sent off after a second yellow when he had won the ball. PA

Scott McTominay 7. Became better acquainted with Neymar and took the ball off Mbappe enough times to justify his start. Reuters

Anthony Martial 5. Top class players need to take chances in the biggest games. The Parisian didn’t do that. Games are decided by fine margins but he’s out of form. Put Cavani through for his chip. EPA

Bruno Fernandes 7. Should’ve shot when put through by Martial. Less effective against world class players than he’s been in most Premier League games, but more key passes than any of his teammates. Reuters

Marcus Rashford 7 His shot was deflected past Navas after United’s first positive spell. Superb play to set up Martial after half time and some fine interplay with Cavani. Off injured with a shoulder injury. EPA

Edinson Cavani 7. PSG’s all time leading scorer and selected after superb influence at Southampton. Hit crossbar with a chip which would have been a glorious goal. Getty Images

SUBS: Paul Pogba 7. On for Rashford, the man he’d set up for the winner in Paris, after 74' when United were down to 10. Volleyed over after Maguire set him up on 79. EPA

Donny Van de Beek 6. On for Cavani 78'. Unlucky not to start. Getty Images

Mason Greenwood 6. On for Martial 78'. Reuters

Odion Ighalo N/A. On for Wan Bissaka on 90' for his Champions League debut as United chased a point. Getty Images

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN RATINGS: Keylor Navas, 6 – The visiting keeper couldn’t quite scramble back across his goal to keep out Rashford’s painfully-deflected effort and was beaten all ends up by Cavani’s exquisite chipped attempt, but he clung on to a late Bruno Fernandes header. EPA

Alessandro Florenzi, 7 – Drew the best from De Gea when he pounced on a loose ball from Fred and tested the Spaniard’s reflexes with a sweetly struck effort from outside the box, before his whipped delivery almost found Neymar’s slide at the back post. PA

Marquinhos, 8 – A captain’s performance if ever there was one and he repelled Martial’s strike with a mammoth block as the hosts looked to turn the game on its head. Ironically, he then clipped the bar with his own head at the other end, but he was on hand to stab home when United failed to clear a corner. EPA

Abdou Diallo, 6 - A couple of important blocks in the first-half, but they won’t live long in the memory given that his next involvement saw the ball deflect off his outstretched leg and trickle past Navas into the goal. Reuters

Presnel Kimpembe, 7 - After a quieter first half than he might have anticipated, he was kept much busier by the lively Rashford after the break and he did brilliantly to get a toe on a dangerous ball which was heading into the forward’s stride. Getty Images

Marco Verratti, 7 - Like Paredes alongside him, he was involved in most of the tie’s less glamorous moments, but in doing so he was effective in disrupting United’s rhythm - and he was again involved in the exchange that saw Fred finally dismissed. Getty Images

Danilo Pereira, 6 – The on-loan Porto man is so calm in possession and completely nullified the threat of Fernandes in the first half, although he had less success containing the hosts after the break as United turned things up a notch. Reuters

Leandro Paredes, 6 - Involved in some early controversy when he hit the deck following an exchange with Fred that probably should have seen the latter receive his marching orders much earlier than he did. Reuters

Neymar, 8 - A brilliant brace from PSG’s star man who started and finished the contest, rifling into the corner from a tight angle after just six minutes before tapping home in a late second. If you’re harsh, you could argue he neglected his full-back at times. Getty Images

Moise Kean, 6 – The former Everton man has arguably enjoyed the sweetest spell of his career since leaving the Toffees and, although not at his liveliest, he almost registered another attacking return when he teed up Neymar who went for the spectacular. Reuters

ylian Mbappe, 8 - The charging Mbappe was rewarded for his tenacity when the ball bounced kindly off Maguire and Neymar lashed home after a nice exchange between the two and, although he fired wide on the counter, he was instrumental in the visitor’s third goal too. Getty Images

SUBS: Ander Herrera, 7 - An Old Trafford return for the battling midfielder who replaced Parades. He could only smash his best chance over the bar, but he produced a hugely important clearance at the other end from a United corner. PA

Mitchel Bakker, 7 - It took all of a couple of minutes for the forward to throw himself into the thick of the action. His rolled effort towards the corner was somehow kept out by De Gea at full stretch, but the resulting corner was eventually bundled home. Getty Images

Thilo Kehrer, NR - Replaced Alessandro Florenzi as Thomas Tuchel looked to preserve his side’s advantage and he did well to get across Donny van de Beek’s path at the expense of a corner. Reuters

MF Rafinha, NR - Brought on for the tenacious Marco Verratti - likely to save his teammate for another day after the Italian picked up a booking - and he burst forward to pick up Mbappe’s pass and pull the ball back for Neymar to slot in the winner. Getty Images

MF Idrissa Gueye, NR - Just when we thought we were about to see another former United man In Angel Di Maria, Tuchel changed his mind and threw on Gueye instead, though he didn’t have time to impact the game. Reuters