PSG Want Barcelona's Aguero In Exchange For $81M Striker Who Doesn’t Get Along With Messi

Lionel Messi reportedly wants to reunite with FC Barcelona forward Sergio Aguero at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

PSG are preparing to offer Mauro Icardi to Barcelona in exchange for Aguero, reported Catalan publication El Nacional.

Former Inter Milan striker Icardi, who is into his third season at PSG, is yet to establish a prominent role at the Ligue 1 club. The Argentina national does not have a great relationship in the PSG dressing room, mostly with fellow Argentineans, according to soccer website Barca Universal.

There have been rumors regarding Icardi’s sore relationship with Messi in Argentina. Under Messi’s captaincy, Icardi was not picked for the FIFA World Cup 2018 and the 2021 Copa America, a tournament that Argentina won, handing Messi his first international trophy. Icardi’s absence in Russia for the World Cup was shocking as he was coming from an excellent season for Inter Milan, where he had scored 29 goals and one assist in 36 matches.

Icardi was a part of Barcelona’s youth academy La Masia before he moved to Serie A club Sampdoria, where he eventually made his senior debut. The swap deal with Aguero would only give Icardi a chance to finally play for Barcelona, a club that played a part in nurturing him at the beginning of his soccer career.

Icardi, who moved from Inter Milan to PSG at $81 million, has netted 36 goals and 10 assists for the French side in 73 matches, across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Aguero ended his 10-year association with Manchester City in the summer of 2021 and moved to Barcelona in order to play alongside his compatriot and good friend Messi. However, due to Barcelona’s financial crisis, the club failed to register Messi’s new contract despite the Argentina captain accepting a 50% pay cut. As a result, Messi moved to PSG and Aguero remained at Camp Nou.

It is believed that it is Aguero’s dream to play alongside Messi on the club level and it looks like he may receive another chance to fulfill it.

Due to a tendon injury, Aguero’s Barcelona debut had been delayed when the 2021-22 campaign kickstarted earlier this year. The former Atletico Madrid star finally made his first appearance for the Catalans Sunday when Barcelona took on Valencia in the La Liga. He came off the bench in the 87th minute as the Camp Nou side claimed a 3-1 victory.