“The Future of Lionel Messi: Will He Return to Barcelona, Join Newcastle, or Head to Arabia?”

Lionel Messi’s adventure at PSG practically ended today, with a couple of (scarce) months ahead of the expiry of the two-year contract that the Argentine had signed in August 2021. In theory, there would be an option for next season, with a salary of 30 million net, and the sheikh’s club unofficially hastened to let it be known that the disciplinary measure will not interfere with the negotiation for the extension of the contract. In reality, President Al Khelaifi’s decision to suspend the best player of the last World Cup for two weeks has the flavor of a traumatic break in any negotiation, also because, although not announced, there will be a fine. Salted. What are the chances that in the next few days dad Jorge will sit down at a table to discuss his son’s stay in Paris? Logic says zero. For two reasons: 1) after the World Cup, the renewal seemed like a formality, but it was never transformed into reality with signatures: too much time wasted; 2) PSG have shown that they are not “protecting” their star as they did in the past with Neymar and Mbappé. Does the sponsorship contract that Messi signed with Saudi Arabia have something to do with this choice of Qatari ownership? Certainly Leo does not accept what happened and from today the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is already in the future and the shirt he will wear will no longer be that of the club in the French capital.

DEAR BARCELONA

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Rumors of a possible return home, to “his” Barcelona, ​​will intensify even more from now on. From Catalonia they make no secret of the desire to deploy La Pulce in 2023-24: Laporta has announced it repeatedly, more or less covertly, and the other managers have echoed him. The problem is of an economic nature because Barcelona, ​​in addition to the possible troubles for the Negreira affair, also has financial problems and is called to respect the strict limits set by La Liga for registering new players. Messi would cost nothing in terms of transfer but yes. And the leadership must find who will make room for it. A plan already exists, and it also contemplates the renewals of contracts already made (Gavi, Araujo, Sergi Roberto and Marcos Alonso), but now it will have to be approved by Tebas’ men, not a great admirer of Barcelona and its policy (from SuperLega onwards…). The return to the city where he grew up, therefore, is a concrete hypothesis, but not the only one.

ARABI E NEWCASTLE

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Messi went to Arabia yesterday for advertising reasons, because he has a contract with VisitSaudi, but in the future that could be the championship where he will play. Already in a few months? Possible, but not sure because the ownership of Newcastle, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia (Pif), would like him as a symbolic player for the team which, barring surprises, will play in the next Champions League. One or two seasons in the Premier League and then closure in the Arab league, where CR7 is now the star. Other options? A transfer to America where he would become the testimonial of the next World Cup, that of 2026, playing in the Mls. Several options on the table for Pulce, but from tonight there is one less, the one linked to the future in PSG.