It is becoming clearer for the Parc des Princes walker. Lionel Messi’s departure from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his contract in June is now “much more likely, but not certain”, AFP learned on Tuesday from a source close to the club. “No agreement has been signed, the dynamic has completely changed with PSG pushing less to renew”, continues this source.
The attitude of the supporters, some of whom whistled the Argentine star Sunday evening during the match lost at home against Lyon (1-0), “completely changed the situation”, according to this source, while on the return from his triumphant World Cup, Messi seemed rather to be moving towards an extension.
Barça wants to repatriate him
But since his world title, won in the final against Kylian Mbappé’s France (3-3, 4 tab to 2), the Argentine striker is less brilliant with PSG. Like other teammates, he thus missed his knockout round of the Champions League against Bayern Munich (PSG was eliminated 1-0/2-0). In 67 games in the Parisian jersey, the “Pulga” scored 29 goals and offered 32 assists. After a mixed first season, he had had an excellent start to the 2022-2023 fiscal year until the World Cup in Qatar.
If he left, Messi could return to FC Barcelona, which is seriously considering the financial arrangement to be put in place to achieve such a coup. On the player’s side, according to Foot Mercato, returning to the Catalan fold is the preferred solution at the moment, well before a possible departure to MLS in Miami or a signing in Saudi Arabia.