The transfer market in the football world is getting more interesting, so is French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint Germain (PSG) as they gear up to bring the Argentine sensation to the Parc de Princess. The French club is set to offer Lionel Messi a 2-year deal worth £25m a year after tax, with the option of a further year at a meeting scheduled between them and the 34 year old's father, Jorge Messi.
If PSG do sign Messi it will delight his former Barcelona team-mate Neymar, who has lobbied hard to sign the world’s best player and the current Ballon D’Or holder but will raise further question marks over the future of Kylian Mbappe who has just one more year left on his contract but has, so far, resisted attempts for him to extend his deal.
PSG’s priority had been to persuade Mbappe to sign but the sudden availability of Messi and with Manchester City stepping away from the deal, has led to them considering whether they can make the move work financially. Messi, Barcelona's all-time leading goalscorer, had agreed a new five-year contract on reduced wages - but the club still had to slash their wage bill to afford him, and were unable to do so.
"Leo wanted to stay, so he's not happy. We all wanted him to stay. For him, he has to confront reality. It's a reality that can't be changed and he knows I wish him the best wherever he goes." Barcelona president, Joan Laporta said. Messi had spent his entire career at Barcelona, coming through the club's academy before going on to score 672 goals in 778 appearances after making his senior debut in 2003. This will be the 4th big signing for PSG as they had already capitalized on free agents; Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos and Georginio Wijnaldum.