Lionel Messi 'has practically agreed' new PSG contract

Posted Sunday, December 25, 2022 by Tribalfootball.com

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has reached an "agreement in principle" to renew his contract at Paris St-Germain.

Messi, 35, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, is out of contract at the French club in June 2023.

Earlier this week Barcelona president Joan Laporta said he "would love" Messi to return to the Spanish club where he spent 21 years.

But his biographer Guillem Balague says Barca have not approached Messi about a return.

He will sign a one-year deal with the option of another year and the agreement has come after four months of talks between PSG director of football Luis Campos and Messi's father Jorge.

That was followed by a key meeting in Doha with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

"It is practically all agreed with PSG," Balague told BBC Sport. "Barcelona have not approached him or his dad to offer anything.

"So it is not that Messi does not want to return to Barcelona. He has not been asked the question.

"Messi is happy with it all and when back from his holidays the agreement will speed up.

"His life in Paris is balanced, happy, everybody is enjoying it and he has a real possibility of winning the Champions League again. Plus, it will help him be a candidate again for the Ballon d'Or."