{"id":63785,"date":"2023-05-04T09:27:12","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T09:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/05\/04\/lionel-messi-to-leave-paris-st-germain\/"},"modified":"2023-05-04T09:27:12","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T09:27:12","slug":"lionel-messi-to-leave-paris-st-germain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/05\/04\/lionel-messi-to-leave-paris-st-germain\/","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi to leave Paris St-Germain"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Lionel
Lionel Messi is set to leave Paris Saint Germain at the end of the season due to a pay dispute.CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Lionel Messi will leave Paris St-Germain this summer at the end of his current contract.<\/p>\n

The Argentine World Cup winner had reached an \u2018agreement in principle\u2019 to extend his stay for another year but neither club nor player now want to sign the deal.<\/p>\n

Messi is unconvinced the club can compete at the top of the European game, due to financial issues, while the French champions want to focus on developing young talent.<\/p>\n

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He signed a two-year deal in Paris in 2021 with an option to renew for another year but that will now not be activated.<\/p>\n

It is understood his father Jorge Messi informed Paris St-Germain\u2019s football advisor Luis Campos a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n

The player believes PSG\u2019s budget could be limited next season to comply with Financial Fair Play rules \u2013 putting the quality of their squad at risk.<\/p>\n

His reluctance to commit to a new deal in recent months has frustrated PSG\u2019s Qatari owners, who believe Messi\u2019s lack of response was a clear message he didn\u2019t want to stay<\/p>\n

\"Messi<\/figure>\n

The 35-year-old was\u00a0suspended by PSG for two weeks\u00a0on Tuesday after travelling to Saudi Arabia without the club\u2019s permission.<\/p>\n

Barcelona and Messi would be\u00a0keen on securing a dream return for the forward to the Nou Camp but, with the La Liga leaders facing severe financial difficulties, a move back \u2018home\u2019 looks increasingly unlikely.<\/p>\n

He also has interest from Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and an eyewatering offer of about 400m euros (\u00a3354m) to play in Saudi Arabia for a year.<\/p>\n

Messi though believes he can still compete at the top of European football for another season \u2013 eyeing the chance to win a fifth Champions League trophy \u2013 but, with a move to Barcelona looking impossible, his options are looking increasingly limited.<\/p>\n

Messi has scored 31 goals and contributed 34 assists in 71 games in all competitions for PSG, and won the Ligue 1 title last season.<\/p>\n

He is set to miss matches against Troyes and Ajaccio as PSG, five points clear with five games to go, look to clinch a ninth league title in 11 seasons.<\/p>\n

Messi, Barcelona\u2019s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 games, left the Nou Camp in 2021 because of financial issues at the club,.<\/p>\n

He is favourite to win an eighth Ballon d\u2019Or in October, which is three more than any other player, after winning the World Cup with Argentina in December.<\/p>\n

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