Reports from France suggest that Paris Saint-Germain is considering the possibility of allowing Lionel Messi to depart for free this summer.
Reports suggest that PSG is contemplating not renewing Lionel Messi’s significant £740,000-per-week contract, as the club looks to decrease expenses to evade further Financial Fair Play sanctions. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian clubs are reportedly ready to make a move for Messi and his teammate, Sergio Ramos.
Despite the superstar forward leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar and displaying excellent form this season with 18 goals in 32 games, the French team has been impacted by Financial Fair Play sanctions, leading to an £8.6 million fine and a potential £56.3 million in future compliance-related penalties. Consequently, the club is looking to reduce costs to avoid further sanctions.
At 35 years old, Messi’s weekly earnings are a staggering £740,000, while his teammate Sergio Ramos, who is 37 years old, is also receiving a significant wage.
The club is reportedly contemplating the possibility of allowing both players to depart at the expiration of their contracts.
And as reported byL’Equipe, Saudi Arabian clubs are ready to swoop for the pair by offering them more lucrative deals.
PSG has initiated discussions about contract extensions with both Messi and Ramos; however, neither player has reached an agreement with the club as of yet.
While the French champions reportedly wish to retain both players, they are unable to do so at their current wages, and neither player appears willing to accept a substantial reduction in their salary.
According to reports, Al-Hilal, a team from Saudi Arabia, has approached Messi’s father Jorge and offered the superstar forward a more substantial wage than what Al-Nassr pays his rival, the Portuguese veteran Cristiano Ronaldo. On the other hand, Spanish defender Ramos has reportedly received an offer in the Middle East worth four times his current PSG salary over two years.
Despite playing in 36 matches across all competitions this season and being a dependable member of PSG’s injury-plagued defensive line, Ramos could face competition for his spot, as the club is reportedly set to sign Inter Milan’s centre-half Milan Skriniar on a free transfer this summer.
According to L’Equipe, Messi is said to be “leaning towards leaving” PSG given the current situation and the potentially lucrative offers he could receive from clubs such as Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia or MLS teams in America. The report indicates that “pessimism is growing stronger” about Messi’s future in Paris.
While Kylian Mbappe is an essential part of PSG’s team, and Brazilian superstar Neymar is under contract for another four years, Messi is the most likely of the front three to depart. The decisions of both Messi and Ramos regarding their future could significantly impact the transfer budget for PSG manager Christophe Galtier in the upcoming summer window.