Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona has sent shockwaves throughout the world of football. The Argentine, who had reportedly gotten into deals so advanced with Barcelona that there was a 5-year contract on offer, suddenly left. A crude end to an 18-year story with the Catalan giants.
In view of the explosive departure of the Barcelona talisman from his club of 21 years, a host of European clubs are hot on the Copa America winner’s trail. As per a report relayed by French publication, FootMercato, Paris Saint Germain are the numero uno hounds on the list.
Immediately after Barcelona’s official announcement of Lionel Messi’s departure, PSG were already pounding on his door. They are reportedly in very advanced talks with the Argentine – in themselves already suggestions that this wasn’t an overnight move but something clearly premeditated and well-planned in advance with optimistic projections – and there are talks of a possible deal that would have Messi sign for two years, and with an additional year to boot should he want to extend after that.
FootMercato added that talks as advanced as these are cerainly not from yesterday as the sheer work that was put into this must have been on-going for several months now, not only from the former Ligue 1 champions, but also their key players/ involved behind the scenes.
It is open knowledge that Lionel Messi emjoys and cultivates very close ties with some of PSG’s players, in particular Neymar Jr, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes, among others, and who were recently even photographed together on holiday in Ibiza. The great news is that the Parisians are so convinced about the feasibility of the deal that they have already contacted the LFP to prepare the signing of his contract.
PSG’s current roster features a host of big names, all of whom would provide Messi the full support of concrete hopes for serious European silverware he so desperately lacked at Barça in recent years.