In France they say that Messi and PSG are "close to divorce"

Leo Messi’s stage at PSG is closer than ever to coming to an end. The Parisian club had the renewal of the Argentine on track at the end of the last World Cup in Qatar, where Argentina achieved its third star, but in recent weeks the negotiations are “close to divorce”, according to the newspaper L’Équipe.

Continuing with the information from the French newspaper, the entity chaired by Nasser Al Khelaifi has asked the striker for a substantial reduction in his salary in order to extend his contract, which currently expires on June 30. The French champion must adjust to financial fair play next season and the payrolls of Messi, Neymar and Mbappé, the only untouchable, weigh heavily.

L’Équipe also recently published the 30 highest salaries in Ligue 1 and in the top three positions are Mbappé, Neymar and Messi. The French star is the best paid with 72 million annually, followed by the Brazilian with 44 million and ‘the flea’ occupies the third position with 40 million.

Messi wants “guarantees on the Parisian project” to be able to sign an extension to his contract. La Vanguardia already explained that the Rosario player has not been convinced by the proposal of a PSG that is in the middle of a period of reflection, with doubts about how to continue its project after the umpteenth failed season despite having a great cast of stars.

The whistles of his own fans, in the preview of the matches against Rennes and Lyon, do not help to convince Messi either. Henry has already expressed his annoyance at the attitude of the PSG fans and in the last few hours Emmanuel Petit has spoken in the same vein. “Messi’s whistles are an insult to football and if I can give Leo some advice, leave this club, it’s not a football club,” said the former Barça player.

The troubled river of the Parque de los Príncipes club distances the Argentine star from Paris and fuels his possible return to Barça, already publicly valued by representatives of the Catalan entity. “Of course I would love him to come back. Beautiful stories can end well. And yes, we have contacts with Messi. He is in love with the club and with Barcelona and we with him,” Rafa Yuste, Blaugrana vice president, recently explained.

The delicate economy of Barça does not allow offering a high salary to Messi, who, however, would arrive free next summer without renewing with PSG. The Barcelona entity is looking for ingenious formulas to accommodate his arrival, which include offering him part of the sponsorship benefits generated by his return.