Materazzi says Skriniar should have chosen to stay at Inter as Paris move looms

Skriniar signed a pre-contract agreement with PSG in January and will join the rest of the star-studded squad in the French capital as soon as his current contract with Inter expires at the end of June.

Materazzi, who spent ten years (2001-2011) in the heart of Inter's defence, was asked a question in front of the Canal+ TV cameras about whether the Slovakian footballer had made the right decision.

"He is a very good defender, but not the best," he said.

"When he asserts himself, he becomes strong in a collective context. We must not forget that when he came to the club he played well, worked hard and deserved the credit for Conte changing his mind (about him).

"He could have left after the first year under Antonio when he was not getting opportunities, but he improved immensely, won the captain's armband and became an integral part of the team," added the veteran, who made his name in the Italian national team jersey by confronting Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Inter have a lot of work to do before the season ends. In Serie A, they are fighting to qualify for next year's Champions League, currently sitting in just fifth place, two points behind city rivals AC Milan.

They face a quarter-final second leg against Lisbon's Benfica on Tuesday night in Europe's premier cup competition, however, Skriniar remains sidelined due to back problems.

"If I were in his place, I would choose to stay at Inter. I told him publicly to remember how much the club's fans adore him. I don't know if he will be as popular in Paris.

"Although I hope so, just look at how they perceive Messi, who is one of the best footballers in history," Materazzi added.