Lionel Messi is reported as “very close” to joining PSG.
Ex-FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi has been reported as ‘very close to joining PSG after negotiations over a new contract with the Catalans broke down on Thursday.
Messi was expected to agree on a five-year deal at the Camp Nou after arriving in Barcelona last night.
But at a lunchtime meeting, his father and agent Jorge were reportedly told by the club that it was “impossible” to register the 34-year-old for the upcoming La Liga season.
As news broke from Spain of the deadlock, it was simultaneously claimed by RAC1 that Messi “does not like the current squad” while the other first-team captains had been informed of his stance.
Around an hour and a half later, FC Barcelona released a statement confirming the rumors.
“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of Spanish LaLiga regulations on player registration,” it began.
“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”
As theories circulated that the move is a ploy from president Joan Laporta to force his La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas into adjusting Barca’s salary cap, another statement was released where the club voiced opposition to the league’s decision to sell a 10% stake of itself to CVC and the split of the $3.2bn the investment fund will hand over.
Later, though, transfer expert guru Fabrizio Romano added to other claims from the likes of Mohamed Bouhafsi that Messi has opened talks with PSG.
Around midnight in Spain, the host of the popular TV football show El Chiringuito, Josep Pederol, described Messi as “very close” to switching to the Qatari-backed Ligue 1 giants, who are one of only two outfits alongside Manchester City that could afford his salary, in the next few hours.
The Athletic’s Adam Crafton also revealed he was told Messi had “made direct contact” with PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino tonight to “initiate [a] move to PSG”, with the French club “holding internal discussions on how to make it happen.”
“Everything escalated between 9 pm and midnight in France,” Crafton continued, adding that PSG is already “exploring avenues with commercial partners to maximize opportunities”, while having calculated “that signing Messi brings more in than it costs.”
At 11 AM local time on Friday morning, Laporta will hold a press conference to address the matter
