Messi is out of contract at PSG in the summer but there is an option to extend by 12 months if both parties agree; forward keen to stay in elite European football until at least summer 2024; there has been reported interest from MLS, Saudi Arabia and Barcelona - but no formal offers
Friday 17 February 2023 16:15, UK
Lionel Messi's father has held face-to-face talks with Paris Saint-Germain for the first time over the Argentina star's proposed new contract.
Jorge Messi sat down with sporting director Luis Campos in Paris two days ago as the French champions ramped up their bid to secure Messi for another year.
Further negotiations are expected in the coming weeks - with Leo Messi's priority being to stay in elite European football at least until summer 2024.
He is free to speak to any other club outside of France, with his current deal expiring in June this year - but PSG are the only club to have made Messi a tangible offer so far.
Despite widespread speculation, there has been no formal offer from any club in Major League Soccer, nor from Saudi Arabia - nor from former club Barcelona.
Jorge Messi, in fact, confirmed to media as he landed in Paris earlier this week that he had not spoken a word to Barca president Joan Laporta since his son left the club in 2021.
Messi gave his verbal agreement to discuss an extension with PSG just around the time of the 2022 World Cup, as he lifted the trophy for the first time as Argentina captain.
Beyond 2024, however, he is keeping his options open - but has often intimated at an interest to finish his career in the MLS. David Beckham's Inter Miami are thought to be one of the clubs interested.
Messi joined PSG on a two-year contract, on a free transfer in August 2021, having been told by Barcelona they could not afford to keep him.
Messi's current deal at PSG was for two years with the option of a third, but the final 12 months had to be triggered by both parties.
Discussions are now focused on a fresh contract and there has yet to be consensus over the length or cost of it - in terms of both wages and bonuses. Having received a £57m fine by UEFA of which £8.7m had to be paid in full, PSG need to be mindful of Financial Fair Play although they have not had issues manoeuvring around it in the past.
PSG are currently five points clear at the top of Ligue 1 but lost the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich 1-0 on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia has not thrown in the towel on convincing Lionel Messi to join Cristiano Ronaldo in elevating their league, despite the World Cup winner's discussions with Paris Saint-Germain over a new contract, Sky Sports News' Melissa Reddy reported in January.
In Saudi Arabia, the feeling is growing that Messi - or any footballer for that matter - is not out of reach. Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne were circled to Sky Sports News as two examples of players that will be targeted in coming seasons.
It is instructive that former Manchester City chief Garry Cook has been appointed as the new executive president and CEO of the Saudi Pro League.
Cook was in charge of City when it was purchased by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - he made the pitch to Abu Dhabi that sealed the takeover - and put the foundations in place for the club's dominance.
There's was no headline player he didn't attempt to attract, famously hijacking Chelsea's £32.5m move for Robinho in 2008 - a British transfer record fee at the time.
If it wasn't for Sir Alex Ferguson picking Dimitar Berbatov up from the airport himself, Cook was going to muscle in on the forward's transfer from Tottenham to Manchester United too.
He also - through miscommunication - put in a £70m bid for Messi back then which was rejected by Barcelona.
Cook is seen as a man who can deliver Saudi Arabia's aim of having a league that rivals Europe's major divisions.
Football is a key driver for Saudi Arabia's strategic, economic and social aims.
