LIONEL MESSI

Lionel Messi will leave PSG this summer

The Argentine’s two-year stint in Paris is set to end with neither side wishing to extend his contract beyond the summer.

SARAH MEYSSONNIERREUTERS

After months of speculation, numerous reports suggest that Lionel Messi will not sign a contract extension at Paris Saint-Germain and will leave the French capital this summer.

Messi joined the club from Barcelona in the summer of 2021 and received a rapturous reception from the PSG support. But after an underwhelming first season and question marks over his priorities this campaign, Messi’s relationship with the PSG fans has soured.

The Argentine World Cup winner is thought to be unconvinced by the club’s plan to make itself one of European football’s elite sides. In Messi’s two season in Paris, the club have twice been eliminated at the first knock-out stage of the Champions League.

On Wednesday transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Messi’s father, Jorge, had already informed the club of his son’s decision to leave.

Likewise, Spanish football writer Guillem Balague wrote that Messi “believes PSG’s budget could be limited next season to comply with Financial Fair Play rules - putting the quality of their squad at risk.”

Where will Messi go next?

The 35-year-old looks set to leave Paris under something of a cloud after being hit with a two-week unpaid suspension by the club on Tuesday.

Players were required to train on Monday, following a 3-1 defeat to Lorient on Sunday, but Messi travelled to Saudi Arabia instead. Messi has a lucrative commercial agreement with the Gulf nation.

Last month PSG fans began booing Messi after a period of poor performances from the team. The Argentine has managed 31 goals and 34 assists in 71 games for PSG. Decent figures, undoubtedly, but he has not helped the team to take the next step in Europe.

So where next for Leo? A return to Barcelona would be the romantic choice and the club’s officials have made no secret of their desire to bring Messi back to Camp Nou. However the club is in a very precarious economic position and will be unable to register any new signings unless it can clear a significant amount from its wage bill.

Other options could see Messi head to the United States or the Middle East. MLS side Inter Miami are known to be interested in bringing Messi to the league. He could also reignite the rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo with a move to the Saudi Pro League, where he has reportedly been offered €400 million ($442m) for a single year.

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