What will be the future of Messi?

PSG’s play revolutionized the transfer market. And also the future of Lionel Messi. Because the two-week sanction that will be applied to him comes hand in hand with the club’s decision not to offer the renewal to the player. Although neither of the two news items that moved the ammeter are official, it is clear that the end of the story between Leo and the French club is already written. It will be necessary to see if the sanction, of two games, ends there, if the best in the world plays again this season with the 30th, in a Paris that is playing to win Ligue 1, a tournament in which the Argentine was the great figure of a team that was never a team.

Without PSG on the horizon or in the future, there is one less leg on the table than Leo and his entourage were analyzing for the 23-24 season. Because Messi’s idea, from the beginning, was to bet on a club that would play the Champions League in the next edition and there he managed the alternative PSG and Barcelona. But his continuity in France is no longer an alternative and now three intentions remain standing, although only one with a formal proposal, which is that of Al Hilal Saudi Arabia. The others? The illusion of a Last Dance in Barcelona and the other is to leave Europe, to go to the MLS, to Inter Miami.

The fans let it be known at each home game that they want the return of the greatest idol in the club’s history. Every 10 minutes, while Xavi’s team is playing, which is on its way to winning the League, the fans sing the characteristic reverence they patented years ago: the “Meeeeessi, Meeeeessi”. All the blaugrana actors declare in consequence: Xavi, Busquets, Jordi Alba and the rest of the squad. Everyone wants Leo’s return, but this is not just about illusion but about closing the accounts.

Barcelona’s situation is still tight, like when Leo left. And, with a view to June and next season, it is necessary for the club to release 200 million in salary mass (sale of players, lower salaries) in order to balance finances. And, in the case of adding Messi, even more to be able to respect the tight financial Fair Play of LaLiga, practically the main obstacle to the Argentine being able to return to the club of his life.

“Today, I see it complicated. There is still time, but there will have to be a departure of players and a reduction in the wage bill. There will have to be more to be able to register Messi. And then there is a piece of information that we don’t know, which is Messi’s salary. There are still many variables, ”said Javier Tebas (president of LaLiga) five days ago, without being encouraging. Thebes received a few days ago the “viability” plan that Barcelona presented for the 23-24 campaign, in which it plans to sell several footballers and lower the contract of others to try to repay Leo. At the club they are optimistic, but in the League…

The League has good intentions with the return of Messi but will not make exceptions, since all the movements of the clubs are public and can be verified. And when many mention the subject of Leo coming back “for free”, this option does not run for legal reasons. Since he left Barcelona on the 10th, there was only one formal talk between Jorge Messi and Laporta, in which the president offered him the chance of a tribute match, in case he leaves PSG and goes to play far from Europe (MLS or Arabia). Later, there were informal meetings thinking about a possible return and variables, but there is still nothing concrete.

MLS really wants to hit the table hard. It is a league that does not stop growing in the United States. From the outset he bought big players, looking more for a marketing effect than sporting growth. But for more than five years now it has been a very competitive championship, which not only has famous figures, but there are many young people who go to the United States in search of a platform that will take them to Europe.

And Inter Miami always had the dream and objective of being able to convince Leo to play the last years of his career in MLS. A few days ago David Beckham, owner of the Inter franchise in Major League Soccer, was at PSG training and took a photo with Leo. Will David have insisted that Leo go to the United States once he finishes his contract on June 30? What is certain is that the 2024 Copa América will be played in the United States and he will be one of the organizers of the 2026 World Cup.

The only concrete offer that Leo Messi has at the moment on the table is that of Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia, a team led by Ramón Díaz, who offered him 420 million euros, to be able to count on the best in the world since July 2023 until June 2024.

Al Hilal’s offer to Messi is double what Cristiano Ronaldo arranged with Al Nassr, another big team in the country: the Portuguese arranged for 200 million dollars. In Arabia they dream of repeating the historic rivalry they had when the European played for Real Madrid and Leo for Barcelona, ​​but in the 23-24 season.