Messi unconvinced by PSG project to renew his contract
The Argentinean has been presented with an offer to continue but negotiations have stalled because he wants to know more about their project.
The continuity of Leo Messi at PSG enters a decisive few weeks. The Argentinean’s contract with the French champions ends on 30 June 2023 and his intention, right now, is to continue for one more season at Parc des Princes - although not at any price. Before signing anything he wants to know what project PSG is preparing for the 2023-2024 season, which coach he will be playing under and alongside which players. If he stays, it would be his last chance to win the Champions League.
Messi and PSG took up positions before the World Cup, but now the situation is looking very different. There is more distance between the two than a few months ago. After the team’s elimination in the Champions League, there is a lot of uncertainty hovering over PSG’s future project. Christophe Galtier will not continue as coach next season and there is no talk of big signings on the horizon to strengthen the team. So no wonder Messi is wary of the situation. He wants the certainty of having a concrete sports project before he will commit to continue until 2024. The economic issue would not be a problem for either party. Everything is based purely on the sporting side of things.
However, the French press are taking a different tack. L’Équipe maintains that there is a divorce between Messi and the club chaired by Nasser Al Khelaïfi. RMC even goes further and affirms that PSG cannot continue to maintain the Mbappé, Neymar, Messi trident and that the Argentinean has been the one designated to leave. Reports which only make the negotiations even more tense. PSG maintain its intention is to tie up Messi’s continuity, but they are beginning to get nervous that the matter will not progress. That distrust that does not help the process either. Hence the various reports in the French media. The issue of fans whistling Messi has also strained the relationship. A sector of the Parc des Princes fans has whistled the Argentinean in both of the last two games. A position that does not help when it comes to ironing out a few rough edges.
Other alternatives: Barça, Premier League, Saudi Arabia, MLS...
The situation today is that Messi only has one offer on the table, which is PSG’s. If he decides not to continue in Paris, other avenues could open up. Barcelona, through vice-president Rafa Yuste, have already publicly stated that there are “contacts with Messi’s entourage”. Barça would be delighted for their old player to return, although it would be a difficult operation to fit in financially. It would be necessary to pull off some tricky financial engineering once again with LaLiga.
There is also the possibility that Messi could make the leap to other leagues: the Premier League, Saudi Arabia, MLS, Argentina... (He has reportedly received a massive €400 million ($438 million) offer from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal...) Destinations that are always there, but these are not viable short-term options for Messi. The 35-year-old Argentinian sees himself capable of continuing at a high competitive level until at least 2024 (with the Copa América coming up) and wants to give himself the opportunity to win his fifth Champions League.