The advice Lionel Messi gave Leonardo Balerdi as Newcastle United offer a Premier League move

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Leonardo Balerdi is the latest name to be linked with a move to Newcastle United this summer. 

Newcastle United want to sign a new defender this summer but have so far struggled to land one. 

As such, Newcastle are looking into the European market for a new centre-back, and Balerdi has been touted as a target. 

Indeed, Newcastle are exploring a move for Balerdi, albeit current club Marseille may not want to sell their captain.  

The Argentina international is perhaps not someone all too many Newcastle fans will know, though it seems Lionel Messi has previously been impressed. 

• READ MORE: Newcastle United now interested in £60m star Lionel Messi once told Barcelona not to sign

What Lionel Messi told Leonardo Balerdi 

Speaking to beIN Sports in 2024, the Marseille defender revealed that Messi had given him some sage advice. He told him to keep doing what he’s doing at club level, as that would stand him in good stead for the national team. 

Balerdi made his international debut back in 2019 but spoke of the advice Messi had given him during a training session, during which the defender surprised people by scoring a bicycle kick. 

“Leo obviously asks me to be calm and to play the same way I do in the club, that’s the most important thing,” he said.

“And then, obviously, to adapt to the opponent. It depends on the opponent, it depends on the training.

“But obviously, he always asks me to give my 100%, to try to play the same way I do in the club.

“That will lead you to achieve continuity here.”

Leonardo Balerdi stats for Marseille

Balerdi made 27 Ligue 1 starts for Marseille as they qualified for the Champions League during the 2024/25 season. 

He averaged two tackles per league game, as well as 1.4 interceptions and 2.7 clearances over the same period. Clearly, translating that into a Premier League context is not an easy thing to do, but those averages would see him rank highly within the Newcastle United squad. 

Still, signing him won’t be easy. Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has already confirmed the French club want to keep Balerdi, who officially joined them from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021.

Speaking to Marseille’s official website in May: “There’s the president and the sporting director. They’re the ones best placed to answer that.

“The aim is to get stronger. We weren’t playing in Europe this season, so we had to achieve our objective, it was vital. After the season, we’ll see how we can strengthen the team. Leo is a pillar of the squad.”

Newcastle are scouting far and wide for a new defender. At some point, they need to come up with a solution.