Lionel Messi’s future remains in the air as the 35-year-old’s contract expires in June. As a result, there’s plenty of reporting and speculation regarding where the Argentine will be playing for the 2023-24 season.
Nonetheless, Le Parisien reported on Wednesday that those within the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner’s entourage are scoffing at the information regarding Messi and Paris Saint-Germain’s request for him to lower his salary.
“It’s very strange to see this news circulating that the club want to lower Leo’s salary or that they don’t want to extend it,” a close friend of Messi told the French media outlet. “We don’t want to play this little game; this kind of fake news won’t benefit Leo or his relationship with the club. But maybe that’s exactly what some people want. It is also difficult to understand the insistent rumors of a departure from PSG.
“We will not make any public statement. But not only is it clear that Leo and the club are negotiating the club would like Leo to stay, as the coach said recently. So it’s strange to see someone divulging something different in the media. What interest do they have in lying? It would be good to ask those who do.”
The Messi to FC Barcelona rumors have begun gaining momentum and even former players are calling for the veteran goal scorer to return to Camp Nou. However, the Spanish club’s financial situation remains a hurdle as they reportedly devise plans to make a return possible.
As for PSG, it would make financial sense for them to part ways with Messi as they can use his wages to bring in two or three players to improve the squad this summer transfer window.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how the situation plays out these next few months and whether he will wait until the summer to resolve his future or decide before becoming a free agent.
