Paris Saint-Germain have warned Barcelona that if they try to prise Thiago Silva away from the French club by matching the defender's buyout clause, then they will do the same to Barca by triggering the €250 (£215.5 million, $328 million) release clause of Lionel Messi.

Silva is considered to be Barcelona's No.1 target in the defensive department this summer, but the Spanish club have so far been rebuffed in their attempts to sign the Brazilian international, with PSG refusing to sell.

Unhappy with the constant speculation linking Silva to Barcelona, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi warned if the pursuit continues, the French champions, who recently completed the big-money signing of Edinson Cavani from Napoli, will give Barca a taste of their own medicine.

"If Barca pay the buyout clause of Thiago Silva then I will meet Messi's buyout clause," Al-Khelaifi is quoted as telling ActuSports.fr.  

Silva, while admitting to being flattered with being linked with a move to Barcelona, also reiterated his desire to stay at PSG in another boost for the French side.

"I am under contract for four more years at PSG and I'm going to honor my contract," the Brazilian told Globo Esporte.

"I'll start the season as I finished the last one -- at PSG. The coach has let me enjoy my holidays and is counting on me for the Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup) against Bordeaux on Aug. 3. I'll resume training on July 30."

Meanwhile, Messi has backed Neymar to succeed at Barcelona this season. "I think he's a great player," the Argentine superstar said. "He's joining a star-studded team and I don't think he'll have any trouble adapting and performing as well as he has done until now.

"I don't think we'll have any problems with him. There are some great people in the squad. I don't know him very well, but he seems like a nice lad."