Despite Barcelona’s recent joys, there seems to be a crisis on the horizon. The club is yet to convince Lionel Messi to sign a contract extension, with his deal set to expire this summer. Now, one European super club has offered him a chance to play his football elsewhere.
An imaginary bomb went off in Barcelona last season when Lionel Messi revealed his desire to leave the club. What followed was a long, drawn-out process in which the Argentine accused the club of breaking its promise. Meanwhile, the club hierarchy revealed a legally binding agreement according to which the six-time Ballon d’Or winner had missed the cut off window to trigger his release clause. Messi ended up staying at Barcelona to put an end to the saga.
A lot has happened since. Barcelona have mounted a serious title challenge under Ronald Koeman. Messi has become the top scorer in La Liga. Joan Laporta has returned to the club to serve as President, replacing the disgraced Josep Maria Bartomeu. Despite all the key developments that have happened in Barcelona, one remains missing. Messi is yet to extend his contract at the club beyond this summer, which would enable him to join any team on a free transfer once the window is officially open.
Now, a report by trusted Barcelona journalist, Marcelo Bechler, claims that Paris Saint-Germain have offered Messi a bumper deal. The Parisians reportedly have proposed a two-year deal to the Argentina international, with the option of extending his contract by another season. Furthermore, the French super club has also offered Messi a proper project and are trying to convince him about their ability to win trophies consistently. PSG reached the final of the UEFA Champions League last season and are through to the semi-finals this year.
PSG also happen to be the current club of Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, Neymar. The Brazilian star was the subject of Barcelona’s rumoured interest in the past, as the Spanish giants tried to bring him back. However, he remained in Paris and is now in talks to renew his contract with the club.
