Messi expected to stay at PSG ‘as of now’, no negotiations with Barcelona

Lionel Messi will become a free agent at the end of the season, with his contract at Paris Saint-Germain set to expire. And, consequently, there have been rumours of the 35-year-old possibly making a shock return to Barcelona.

Messi left Spotify Camp Nou last year as a free agent as the Catalan giants were not in a position to renew his contract due to their sorry financial situation.

Things have been frosty between the seven-time Ballon d’Or and the Barcelona administration, president Joan Laporta in particular, since. But the club supremo has been talking up a possible move for the 35-year-old Argentina captain.

Despite that, though, the possibility of Messi returning to his boyhood club are very slim.

Indeed, according to Sique Rodriguez, there have been no negotiations between Barça and Messi as things stand and as of now, the possibility of him staying put at PSG is much higher.

There had been talks of the Argentina captain moving to Inter Miami in the MLS. But, Les Parisiens have been pushing to renew him beyond the ongoing season and are reportedly ready to table a two-year contract offer imminently.

After a slow start to life in Paris, Messi has enjoyed a brilliant 2022 and looks close to his best. With things improving for him at Parc des Princes, it is not hard to see him decide to continue at the club beyond the ongoing campaign.

As far as a return to Barcelona is considered, there is ‘nothing’ at this point and it does seem unlikely that things will change on that front, especially with the club again mired in Financial Fair Play issues.