Lionel Messi will not continue at Barcelona, the club announced on Thursday. The Argentinian forward has since reportedly closed in on a move to Paris Saint Germain, while Major League Soccer is also an option.
If the morning reports regarding Messi’s future provided a sense of relief to the Barcelona faithful, the ones which surfaced in the afternoon realized their greatest fear. Shockingly, the reports claimed, Messi won’t be continuing at Camp Nou and would leave as a free agent. Hours later, it was made official by the club, who released the following statement addressing the situation:
“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 financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).
“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.”
While some have claimed this to be a move on the club’s behalf to force LaLiga’s hand, the fact remains that, at the moment, Messi is no longer a Barcelona player. The 34-year-old reached the end of his contract at the club in July and was subsequently categorized as a free agent. Barcelona remained the team most likely to re-sign the forward, but league regulations have proven that to be impossible.
The Athletic reports that in the wake of his Barcelona exit, the Argentine has reached out to Paris Saint-Germain regarding a transfer. Messi reportedly made a direct approach to his compatriot Mauricio Pochettino, the current manager of PSG.
Major League Soccer has also been touted as a possibility, both in the past and recently. City Football Group-owned New York City FC has been a rumored destination in the past, albeit through a complicated process that involves Messi playing for Manchester City initially.
Other potential destinations across the Atlantic include Los Angeles – LA Galaxy and LAFC – and Inter Miami, although they would be required to clear one of their three Designated Player slots for that to happen.
