Argentina captain Lionel Messi has reached an “agreement in principle” to renew his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, says JEE News.
Messi, 35, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, is out of contract with the French club in June 2023.
Earlier this week Barcelona president John Laporta said he would “love” Messi to return to the Spanish club where he spent 21 years.
But Balagu says Barca have not approached Messi about a return.
He will sign a one-year contract with an option for a second year and the deal comes after four months of talks between PSG’s director of football Luis Campos and Messi’s father Jorge.
This was followed by an important meeting with PSG chairman Nasir Al-Khalifi in Doha.
“It practically agrees with PSG,” says European football expert Balagu. “Barcelona have not approached him or his father to offer anything.
“So it’s not that Messi doesn’t want to come back to Barcelona, he hasn’t been asked that question.
“Messi is happy about it all and will speed up the deal when he returns from his holidays.
“His life in Paris is balanced, happy, everyone is enjoying him and he has a real chance of winning the Champions League again. Also, this should help him become a Ballon d’Or candidate again. will.”
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was named player of the tournament at the World Cup as Argentina won the title for a third time with a penalty shootout victory over France.
After leaving Barcelona, Messi signed a two-year contract as a free agent in 2021, with an option for a third year.
He has made 53 appearances for the Ligue 1 side so far, scoring 23 goals in all competitions.
Argentina has now won one World Cup, four Champions League titles, one Copa America, 10 La Liga trophies with Barcelona and the Ligue 1 crown in France with PSG.
Considered one of the greatest players of all time, he scored a record 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, the club he joined as a 13-year-old.
He ended his commitment to the Catalan club in 2021, when they could no longer afford to honor the new contract they had agreed with him due to La Liga’s salary cap.
