Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi has made direct contacts with new clubs after he ended his glittering career with the Spanish giants, with whom he won six Ballon d’Or.
Messi has officially been a free agent since July 1, 2021, after he failed to agree on terms over a renewal before his previous contract expired on June 30.
The 34-year-old Argentina star was expected to sign a new five-year contract with Barcelona, which would have seen his salary reduced by 50 percent.
But due to their huge financial problems, that has not been possible as Messi failed to reach an agreement on a new deal with the club after a crunch meeting on Thursday, August 5, 2021.
In a statement on Thursday evening, Barcelona announced that Messi will no longer be associated with the Spanish club after they failed to reach an agreement with him about his new contract due to “financial and structural obstacles”.
It was gathered that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Manchester City are not wasting time in reacting to the bombshell news that Messi is not staying at Barcelona and have already started direct contacts with the football player.
PSG Make Direct Contacts With Messi
A transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano said PSG manager, Mauricio Pochettino, who is also from Argentina, has already started direct contacts with the Argentine player.
Messi’s move to PSG has become the most likely as the Parisian club looks desperate to try and win a Champions League title.
With Messi an attainable target, the future of Kylian Mbappe all of a sudden becomes less of a pressing issue this summer, and it may even convince Nasser Al-Khelaifi to sell the Frenchman to Real Madrid to help offset the cost of Messi’s salary.
For the player himself, this is the perfect scenario. A team that is built to win the Champions League right now, where he will earn perhaps his highest ever salary as a professional and he will be once again able to live and play alongside Neymar, one of his closest friends.
The lifestyle in Paris is easy, even if the quality of league may not be inspiring, but this could allow Messi more rest periods after years of carrying an ailing Barcelona.
Man City Reactives Interest In Messi
Another club that had been linked with Messi is Manchester City. Pep Guardiola had been planning to build his team around Harry Kane and Jack Grealish in attack, but Messi’s exit from the Camp Nou changes everything.
With Kane’s deal far from done, the Premier League champions already look to be changing their plans and turning their attention to Messi. Of course, Guardiola would love to work with the Argentine again.
Messi would see this move as a potentially interesting way to bring a degree of closure to his career in Europe, realigning with Guardiola and having another crack at winning the Champions League, although the physicality of the league could be problematic.
He would also be guaranteed a league title too, with Manchester City having far and away the best squad in England for the moment.
Guardiola has never won the Champions League as a coach without Messi and may wish to try and finally get over the line with his star-pupil back by his side. It would also signify the completion of the project set out by Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain when they arrived at the club.
Messi was in Barcelona to sign the contract 🇦🇷
No tension – total agreement & announcement scheduled.
Barça told Leo they’re blocked by La Liga & not able to sign now.
Issues also with other players.
Messi appreciated Laporta’s honesty.
PSG already started direct contacts 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/O0BBEZYU57
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 5, 2021
Paris Saint-Germain started new contacts to ask about Leo Messi situation yesterday, right after La Liga blocked new contract agreement with Barça 🔴🇦🇷 #PSG
Messi will take his time to see what happens. He turned down PSG and City approaches months ago, as he only wanted Barça.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2021
ALSO READ: Lionel Messi Submits Transfer Request, Tells Barcelona He Wants To Leave The Club Immediately
