Lionel Messi was forced to leave FC Barcelona due to new La Liga rules that prevented the club from continuing to support the star even if he played for free.
Since then, the best player of the 2022 World Cup has been playing for Paris Saint-Germain and judging by the latest news, he will continue to do so.
Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos has confirmed contract extension talks with striker Lionel Messi are ongoing amid the club’s efforts to keep the decorated Argentine on its roster. The media previously reported PSG and Messi had decided not to rush into a contract decision.
“At the moment we are negotiating with Messi his renewal,” Campos told US media. “I’d love to keep him in the project, I can’t hide it. We are negotiating to achieve that goal and for him to continue with us.”
The 35-year-old Argentine has been playing for the French club since August 2021.
This season, Messi made 19 appearances for the club, scored 12 goals and gave 14 assists, in particular scoring a winning goal against Toulouse.
Speculation suggests Messi may be on the verge of becoming one of PSG’s pillars due to French forward Kylian Mbappe sustaining injuries. It’s been further underscored by Campos’ earlier comments to Messi: “‘You have to drag everyone with you’… and he had an exceptional second half.” The remarks were made during a match against Montpellier.
Messi’s contract presently runs until June 2023, with the option to extend for another year.
Prior to being part of PSG, Messi spent his entire career at Barcelona, where he won the Spanish league title 10 times and won the Champions League four times.