Argentina star Lionel Messi to leave PSG at end of the season, confirms head coach Christophe Galtier

On Thursday, head coach Christophe Galtier confirmed that Lionel Messi, the seven-time Ballon D’or winner and FIFA World Cup champion, will be leaving French club PSG when his contract expires on June 30th. Messi joined PSG after financial complications made it impossible for his childhood club, Barcelona, to hold on to their talismanic top scorer.

Upon his arrival in the French capital, Messi was treated to a grand welcome as the Qatar-based owners pulled off an incredible coup by aligning three of the best players in the world of football at present. Messi joined forces with French wunderkind Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian star Neymar in the front of the attacking lineup, making PSG a genuine force to be reckoned with.

During Messi’s two seasons with PSG, the club managed to claim the Ligue 1 titles. However, the star-studded lineup couldn’t emulate their domestic form in Europe and were handed early exits in the UEFA Champions League on both attempts, leaving fans of the French capital disillusioned with their stars. The resentment from the PSG ultras due to the club’s poor showings at the continental stage led the supporters to boo the magician from Argentina.

Since the rift between Messi and Barcelona started surfacing, a sensational return to the Blaugrana has been making headlines. The 35-year-old has been highly touted to make the switch back to the team where he established himself as one of the best players in the long history of the sport.

Barcelona has bounced back from their previous year’s slump under the leadership of head coach Xavi, securing their first League title since 2019. However, their potential success could reach new heights if they manage to bring back the legendary Argentine, Lionel Messi, to their team. Pairing Messi with the Polish forward, Robert Lewandowski, would create a lethal attacking combination.

Despite Barcelona’s interest in Messi, other offers have emerged for the left-footed wizard. Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in signing Messi to bolster their growing profile in world football. Additionally, David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami, has also shown interest in acquiring the Argentine genius.

Overall, the potential reunion of Messi and Barcelona would undoubtedly be a game-changer for the team, but the competition for his signature is fierce.

READ| ‘A huge blunder’: Former India coach slams Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli for ignoring CSK star during 2019 WC