Lionel Messi's future continues to be uncertain despite his prestigious record in football. The World Cup winner sees his contract at Paris Saint-Germain expire at the end of the season and there's set to be a list of suitors for one of the game's greatest.
The Argentine joined the French giants in 2021 after ending his long spell at FC Barcelona. Messi scored 672 goals in 778 games for the Spanish side and has continued his remarkable performances in Ligue 1, with 55 goal involvements in 58 games.
However, his future at the Parc des Princes remains in doubt amid the cost of his wages. That's despite PSG sporting director Luis Campos confirming that the club are in talks to renew the forward's contract. "I'd love to keep him in the project,” he said. “I can't hide it. We are negotiating to achieve that goal and for him to continue with us."
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There had been reports that Inter Miami were increasingly confident of signing the talisman, but PSG have continued to push hard to keep hold of the playmaker. However, that hasn't stopped Messi from being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge amid Todd Boehly's plan to make Chelsea one of the world's greatest.
Messi reportedly nearly joined the Blues in 2014 after 'secretly' agreeing to join the club for £208m, but the move fell through after his dad and agent Jorge Messi found out about the talks. Since Boehly's takeover last summer, a move for Messi has continued to be speculated.
However, Chelsea have been warned against moving for Messi for a number of reasons. Ex-PSG player Jerome Rothen called for his former employees to swerve a new deal for the South American. "Messi's renewal is a joke," he told RMC Sport (Via A Bola). "Managing Messi, Neymar and Mbappe is complicated.
"On top of that, his salary is very high. I see PSG trapped in financial fair play because what they have to pay in wages has exploded. Now they will have the opportunity to recover a huge sum with Messi's salary, this could allow them to hire and improve the squad.
"For all that, it's a bad idea to renew with Messi," he continued. "In terms of image and what it reflects, I can't understand why Messi wants to extend the adventure here. He makes no effort to put the club ahead of him. He never thanks the fans, he lowers his head and goes to the dressing room.
"Even when he celebrates goals and his name is chanted, he never has a gesture for the fans to thank them for their support. He doesn't want to invest in the project. Because of that, I don't think it's a good idea for it to continue."
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