Messi Stopped Barca Signing Falcao To Protect Suarez

Story By: Alex CopeSub-Editor: Joseph Golder,Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

Picture Credit: Golders/@fcbarcelona

Lionel Messi reportedly moved to stop Barcelona signing Monaco star Radamel Falcao in January to stop the Colombian potentially taking Luis Suarez’s place.

Reports suggest the Spanish champions were considering an audacious move for Manchester United flop Falcao in January but were convinced away by Messi.

Local media outlet ‘Don Balon’ report that when Falcao was put forward as a potential backup for Luis Suarez after Munir El Haddadi was sold to Sevilla.

Thierry Henry was in charge of Monaco at the time and reports suggested the Colombian ace had a strained relationship with the Arsenal legend.

Picture Credit: Golders/@fcbarcelona

However, Don Balon report Messi “did not want a player who could put his close friend Luis Suarez in the shade”.

Reports suggest Barcelona could have signed Falcao for under 20 million EUR (17 million GBP), but coach Ernesto Valverde was of the same mind of Messi and thought Falcao, 33, was not “the right profile of player”.

The Catalan giants ended up signing former Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth man Kevin Prince-Boateng as Suarez’s backup but the Ghanian international has failed to impress, not scoring a single goal in four appearances since joining the club.

Falcao, by contrast, has scored 15 goals in 35 appearances this season for Monaco.

Picture Credit: Golders/@falcao