Lionel Messi has paid for Paris Saint-Germain's "obsession" with winning the Champions League, suggests Ander Herrera.

Messi moved to Parc des Princes in 2021 from Barcelona, and helped PSG to a Ligue 1 success in his first season.

PSG are on the brink of retaining their crown, though Messi's future at the club is far from certain.

Messi has been unable to drag PSG closer to their ultimate goal – winning the Champions League. Earlier in May, Messi was targeted by sections of the club's fanbase after he was suspended for taking an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.

Herrera, who played with Messi last season, sees the PSG's dogmatic pursuit of European glory as the main issue. 

"I was admiring Leo before [I knew] him, and after knowing him, I admire him even more as footballer and as a person," he told Stats Perform.

"I understand that Paris is a place that [does] not have much patience. There is an obsession to win the Champions League that doesn't help.

"I think that [they are] the only team in the world that, if [they] do not win the Champions League, it is a failure. All the rest can [have] good seasons without winning [it].

"In Paris, this patience and calm does not exist. You perceive that there is an obsession to win the Champions League, and at the end, who pays for it?

"[It is] the best ones [in] the team. They are the ones that receive the [criticism]."

Herrera also weighed in on speculation over the future of his former Manchester United team-mate David De Gea, amid questions over the goalkeeper's place at Old Trafford.

De Gea has come in for criticism after several key errors this term, but yet also claimed the Golden Glove once again for his Premier League performances.

The Spaniard's contract runs out at the end of the season, but includes an option for a further year, and Herrera feels United would be foolish to not keep his compatriot on.

"Of course David should continue," he added. "He has the record [for most clean sheets] in the club's history.

"He has been, four or five years, the best [in] the Premier League. A couple of mistakes won't affect his performance and his wining mentality."

There is "no better pairing" than Marcelo Bielsa and Uruguay, so says Ander Herrera.

Former Argentina, Athletic Bilbao and Leeds United boss Bielsa agreed to become Uruguay coach earlier this week.

The enigmatic Argentine, who was interviewed by Everton but reportedly turned the Premier League club down in January, was sacked by Leeds last year.

Bielsa is still a legend in the eyes of many Leeds fans, but is now back in work on the international scene, having taken charge of Uruguay, whose former coach Diego Alonso resigned following a group-stage exit from the World Cup in Qatar.

Ex-Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Herrera, who is now back at Athletic Bilbao, came through under Bielsa during the latter's stint in the Basque country between 2011 and 2013.

And he thinks that the combination of Bielsa and Uruguay is perfect.

Herrera told Stats Perform: "He is a coach that will be capable of getting the best from the players and as we say in Spain, he strikes a chord on his speeches.

"He connects with this sentimental aspect that the Uruguayan footballer already has for his country and national team.

"I couldn't find a better pairing than Uruguay and Marcelo for this moment of the Uruguayan national team."

Herrera loved working under Bielsa, though knows not every player will feel the same.

"He has demonstrated that he is a great coach in clubs and national teams, but I think that is true that the intensity that Marcelo [Bielsa] has, not all the players in a club can absorb it, let's say," Herrera added.

"But in my case yes, I did it with pleasure, I live for football, but you have to understand and respect the ones that take this as a profession.

"So maybe for a national team he can be ideal."

Bielsa is famous for the level of detail he goes into, not only when assessing his opponents, but also his own players.

"He doesn't do anything for nothing as we say, so if Marcelo has chosen Uruguay's project he must have studied deeply," Herrera explained.

"I am convinced that he must have watched the under-15 and the under-16 teams, all the players who could be selected and might be of help for the coming qualifying process for the next World Cup and Copa America.

"I think that with the character of Uruguayan footballers, it is a job that will fit like a hand in a glove for him."

Herrera, who sees similarities between the Basque attitude and that of Uruguayans, also had words of advice for younger players set to be coached by Bielsa.

"I would advise them to have their ears very open, try to be like a sponge because they will remember this period the rest of their lives," he said.

"For football lovers, addicts, who understand this profession as a way of life, the experience [with Bielsa] will be useful for them for the rest of their career.

"No doubt that sometimes there will be tough days, there will be days when they will really end up feeling exhausted.

"He [Bielsa] will go into detail, I am sure of this. To each of the Uruguayan players that he will call up he must have seen them 100 times, I am more than convinced."

Athletic Bilbao have triggered the option to sign Ander Herrera on a permanent basis from Paris Saint-Germain.

Herrera joined Athletic on an initial loan deal in August and has made 11 appearances this season, six of those being starts.

The 33-year-old, who was born in Bilbao and previously spent three years at Athletic from 2011, has now officially joined the LaLiga club until the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Both sides confirmed the news on their official websites on Wednesday, with the deal going through prior to Tuesday's transfer deadline.

It brings an end to Herrera's time with PSG, whom he joined from Manchester United as a free agent in July 2019 and made 95 appearances for.

He won the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions twice each, while also lifting the Coupe de la Ligue, though he was never considered a regular starter.

Ander Herrera found his exit from Manchester United an emotionally taxing departure, calling it "painful" to leave the Premier League club.

The Spaniard, who spent five years at Old Trafford before moving on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, is currently on a season-long loan with Athletic Club.

During his time with United, Herrera helped the club to FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League honours, and was named their Player of the Year for the 2016-17 season.

Having departed at the close of his contract, it was assumed the Red Devils had been happy to let him go, and Herrera has now revealed the lack of a suitable offer throughout his final few seasons was tough to take.

"To leave, it was difficult because six months before, I was expecting that offer for me to stay," a tearful Herrera told United's website. "It's not the moment to talk bad about anyone, and I am not going to do it.

"But I expected a little bit more from the club. I [won] the Player of the Year, and the club didn't call me that summer to sign a new contract, [like] they did with other players.

"That was painful for me. I think I deserved it, and they didn't do it. After, the conditions changed because I was not happy with that little moment with the club.

"At the end of the third season, [I had won] three titles [and] Player of the Year, and they didn't call me in the summer. I was feeling a bit down."

Herrera revealed United did table an offer at the start of his final season, only for him to turn it down as they had failed to come at the right moment for him.

"They called me when I had one year left on the contract and the things, they were not right for me," he added.

"They didn't come at the right moment in my opinion, and in my agent's opinion, and in my family's opinion as well."

Ander Herrera has returned to Athletic Bilbao after the club agreed a loan deal with Paris Saint-Germain.

Although the loan is initially for only the 2022-23 season, Athletic have the option to extend his stay for an extra year or make the arrangement permanent in 2023.

Herrera, 33, was born in Bilbao and spent three years at Athletic from 2011 after coming through Real Zaragoza's academy.

The experienced midfielder signed for PSG in 2019 after his Manchester United contract expired and made 95 appearances, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions twice each, while also lifting the Coupe de la Ligue.

However, Herrera was never a regular starter for PSG and had been linked with a move away for much of the transfer window, with Christophe Galtier yet to call upon him this season.

Recent media reports suggested Herrera was likely to leave PSG on a free transfer, but the Parisians retain ownership of him for the time being.

Ander Herrera believes fellow Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti is on the "level" of Barcelona legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Herrera signed for PSG in 2019 after the expiry of his contract at Manchester United and established himself as a reliable figure, making 19 league appearances and six in the Champions League last season.

Amid the constant battle for places in PSG's midfield, though, Herrera believes Verratti holds an exceptional status.

When Herrera was asked which midfielder ranks as the best he has played with over the course of his career, the Italy international was the clear pick, even if it comes at the expense of his own time on the pitch.

"The best I have played with is Verratti, but I have played with very good ones," he told Diario AS. "Thiago [Alcantara], what to say about [Paul] Pogba, a footballer with the best qualities. Or [Bastian] Schweinsteiger, who came to United in the final stretch of his career, but it was incredible to see him.

"Still, I have a special devotion to Verratti. The footballer always thinks that he has to play, but if Verratti plays in your position, you have nothing to say. I put him at the level of Xavi and Iniesta."

The 32-year-old has two seasons remaining on his contract and is eager to help put the "icing on the cake" for PSG, with a Champions League triumph that has so far eluded the club.

A competitive team in domestic and continental competitions means squad rotations and battles for spots, and Herrera insists it is nothing new, welcoming the challenge.

"I like it," he said. "In Manchester, they asked me the same question when Schweinsteiger, [Nemanja] Matic, Pogba or Fred were there. Danilo, [Idrissa Gana] Gueye and Rafinha came to Paris and I've played and I've always had responsibility.

"That has made me a better footballer. I like having midfielders by my side who make me better and make the team better.

"I've been three years and I'm happy. I think it is a project that still needs the icing on the cake, as everyone knows. As demanding as I am of myself, I want to continue and enjoy a growing club surrounded by the best footballers in the universe. I like the day to day, the city and my colleagues. My family is happy and I want to continue."

Kylian Mbappe can become the best player in the world after renewing his contract at Paris Saint-German, said team-mate Ander Herrera.

A long-running saga lasting over a year was ended on Saturday when Mbappe rejected the overtures of Real Madrid to pen an extension at Parc des Princes until 2025.

It was a decision that took the football world by surprise with Mbappe having reportedly given his world to the Los Blancos hierarchy he would move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The renewal is said to have included a €150million signing-on fee as well as having a say on areas such as the appointments of the sporting director and head coach, as well as player signings and sales.

For midfielder Herrera, though, the focus was just on the joy of retaining a superstar team-mate.

"We were happy today; it wasn't the time to discuss it. We are happy for him, for the club and for the group," he said in the aftermath of PSG's 5-0 rout of Metz in their final game of the Ligue 1 campaign.

"He can become the best player in the world in a few years. So, we are happy for us, for him. We celebrated the title; we didn't talk about it."

Angel Di Maria's time at the Parc des Prince has come to an end following the Metz triumph but the Argentine winger was similarly enthused by Mbappe's decision to stay put.

"I am very happy for Kylian, he made the right decision to stay here," said Di Maria, a former Madrid star.

"Paris is a great club, which continues to grow and can do great things. Kylian is close to reaching the 200-goal mark here, to make history. He made a perfect decision."

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has branded the planned European Super League as a "disgraceful, self-serving proposal" fuelled by greed, as well as confirming players from the 12 breakaway clubs involved will be banned from international football.

The 'big six' from the Premier League have collaborated with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter, Juventus, Milan and Real Madrid to reveal plans for a new midweek club competition.

Those founder members would automatically qualify each season no matter where they finished in their respective domestic leagues.

Speaking during a conference call to reveal "dynamic" changes to UEFA's current European club tournaments, Ceferin made clear how results on the pitch should always decide who participates, rather than a "closed shop run by a greedy few".

"We began this project to modernise the competitions in 2019 judged by the principle it should be: an exercise in inclusive leadership," Ceferin told the media.

"At the start of the process, we were driven by a desire to help all UEFA club competitions into something even better than the spectacles we know today. With the unanimous support of the European Club Association (ECA), we consulted widely across the game.

"Teams will always qualify and compete in our competitions on merit, not a closed shop run by a greedy, select few. That was our decision from the beginning.

"Any club, any fans should still have the dream of participating in the Champions League based on their results on the pitch."

The European Super League plan has come in for widespread criticism and Ceferin did not hold back in his own assessment, as well making clear the ramifications it will have for players outside of club football.

"I must address the extraordinary situation that has developed on the eve of this announcement," he continued.

"I cannot stress more strongly at this moment that UEFA and the footballing world stand united against the disgraceful, self-serving proposal in the past 24 hours from a select few clubs in Europe that are fuelled purely by greed above all else.

"Not only is the football world united, but society is also united, governments are united. It's part of our culture – we are all united against this nonsense of a project.

"We have the English FA, Spanish Federation, Italian Federation, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, and also FIFA and all our 55 member associations unanimous in opposition to this cynical plan that are completely against what football should be.

"Our game has become the greatest sport in the world based on open competition, integrity and sporting merit. We cannot allow, and we will not allow that to change, ever. Never.

"As previously announced by FIFA and the six confederations, the players that play in the teams that might play in the closed league, will be banned from playing in the World Cup and the Euros. They will not be able to represent their national teams in any matches."

UEFA announced plans for Champions League expansion that will see an increase to 36 teams as the present format -  whereby there are eight pools of four – will be scrapped.

Instead, each team will play 10 group games before advancing to a last-16 knockout format. The changes are due to be introduced for the 2024-25 season.

"Whoever thinks the Super League and UEFA are all about money is not right. Super League is only about money, money of the dozen – I don't want to call them the dirty dozen," Ceferin said. 

"UEFA is about developing football, about financing what should be financed, that our football and our culture survives. Some people do not understand it.

"The reforms preserve the value of the domestic game by retaining the principle that domestic performance should be the key to qualification – this should, and will not, ever change.

"The European game is the greatest success story of the modern sport, and there's a reason why – because of its pyramid, it's long history. We are constantly adapting the European competition to ensure it is more and more interesting, more and more modern, but the principles cannot change.

"Solidarity is something that cannot change, but for some people solidarity doesn't exist, unity doesn't exist. The only thing that exists is their pockets."

Ander Herrera does not believe it is possible for Paris Saint-Germain to add Lionel Messi to an all-star attack that already includes Neymar and Kylian Mbappe due to Financial Fair Play reasons.

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi is out of contract with Barcelona at the end of the season and has been strongly linked with French champions PSG and Premier League leaders Manchester City.

PSG already have superstar forwards Neymar and Mbappe on their books, with the Ligue 1 giants in talks over extending both players' lucrative contracts beyond the end of the 2021-22 season.

However, as rumours persist over a possible end-of-season switch to the Parc des Princes for Messi, who saw details of his five-year contract made public last week, Herrera has cast doubt over whether a move is feasible for his side.

"Messi, Neymar and Mbappe together? I don't know how that would work with Financial Fair Play, but I don't think so," he told El Larguero. 

Former Manchester United midfielder Herrera was unwilling to discuss the transfer rumours in any further detail, though, out of respect for Barcelona.

"I'm not going to get into this one," he said. "When everyone at Barca was talking about Neymar, inside and outside the club, we did not like it.

"I'm not going to do something that I don't like being done to me. I have a lot of respect for Barca, Messi, his coach and his team-mates.

"It is not a strategy. Me, I will not speak about him. I respect those who do it, but I put myself in the shoes of the club in which Messi has evolved."

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman last week accused PSG of being "disrespectful" for continuing to discuss Messi in public after Angel Di Maria encouraged talk of a high-profile transfer going through.

Herrera added: "If I were I at Barca, I would not like people talking about Messi. It does not seem to me to be a lack of respect, but I will not do it."