Transfer news: Lionel Messi set to sign two-year deal with PSG - report

Lionel Messi
(Image credit: PA)

Lionel Messi is expected to sign a two-year deal with PSG, according to reports.

Barcelona announced on Thursday that the Argentina international would be plying his trade elsewhere in 2021/22.

Messi's contract at the Camp Nou expired on June 30, but the player and club subsequently agreed a new five-year contract in principle.

Barcelona had hoped to finalise the deal this month, but they were unable to find a way to retain Messi while also meeting La Liga's financial rules.

That means arguably the greatest player of all time is a free agent just a week before the new season begins across Europe.

Chelsea and Manchester City have both been linked with the 34-year-old, but PSG appear to have won the race for his signature.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Messi is poised to put pen to paper on a two-year deal.

PSG began talks with Jorge Messi, Lionel's father, on Thursday and the two parties will meet in person on Saturday.

The French giants will present their proposal to Messi's dad and representative, with the Argentine to be offered a deal until 2023.

The report adds that Neymar has lobbied hard for PSG to sign his former Barcelona team-mate, alongside whom he thrived during his spell at the Camp Nou.

Indeed, RMC Sport states that the Brazilian has even offered to vacate his No.10 shirt for Messi.

PSG's priority has been to tie Kylian Mbappe down to fresh terms, with the France international set to become a free agent in 2022.

But having crunched the numbers the club is now confident that a deal for Messi is viable.

It will be intriguing to see the Barcelona legend playing his football away from the Camp Nou for the first time in his career.

And the sight of Mbappe, Neymar and Messi as part of the same front three will excite football fans everywhere.

Unless there is a late twist in the tale, it looks as though Messi is off to the Parc des Princes.

NOW READ

FEATURE Have Aston Villa become a better side without Jack Grealish?

TRANSFERS Every time the British transfer record has been broken during the Premier League era

QUIZ Can you name every Championship manager at the start of the 2021/22 season?

FourFourTwo Staff

FourFourTwo was launched in 1994 on the back of a World Cup that England hadn’t even qualified for. It was an act of madness… but it somehow worked out. Our mission is to offer our intelligent, international audience access to the game’s biggest names, insightful analysis... and a bit of a giggle. We unashamedly love this game and we hope that our coverage reflects that.