Lionel Messi To Leave PSG At End Of Season I CBS Sports

Breaking news from world football here on CBS Sports HQ, Lionel Messi set to leave PSG at the end of the current season. Our insider Fabrizio Romano says Messi's father communicated the decision to the team a month ago before the club suspended Messi for two weeks for an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. Now Messi has been linked to Saudi Arabian clubs in the past few weeks with his contracts to expire at the end of the season. Romano had that news as well saying that Messi was offered a $438 million one-year deal with Riyadh-based club El-Halal. As you see the tweet from Romano announcing the news that Messi will not return to PSG at the end of the season. Behind the scenes this has been in the works and it has now been communicated to the club that they will not have the World Cup winning Argentine and arguably the game's greatest player part of their team next season. Let's bring in CBS Sports Soccer insider Jonathan Johnson who joins us from Paris.

JJ, I'll just start by getting your reaction to this news that PSG and Messi set to cut ties at the end of the season. Honestly, in terms of the separation, I'm not hugely surprised. It's not exactly worked out the way that PSG or Messi wanted it to. Obviously, Messi's second season much better than the first, but equally the second half of the season hasn't been anywhere near as good as the opening half of the season. Obviously, sandwiched in between that was the World Cup in which Messi and Argentina were ultimately crowned champions. But it's felt for a while now that Messi and PSG hasn't really been working. There's certainly been the fans becoming more vocal in recent weeks at their frustration, not just at Messi, but towards PSG's project as a whole.

Obviously, you know, his father communicating the news to the club within the past month that Messi did not plan to return next season. And obviously, things have come to a head with the unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia resulting in a two-week suspension without pay. As you take a look at the timeline, it followed a 3-1 loss to L'Oreal in league play. He asked to go, but then was denied permission, but went anyway. So that means he's not training or playing games for the next couple of weeks. And of course, they have three matches left after the two-week suspension is concluded. PSG is still in that title fight.

JJ, let me ask you this. Where did it all go wrong here between Messi and PSG? I think probably the sort of the stem to all of this is probably back sort of after the World Cup and at the beginning of the year. There was a bit of discrepancy between what was reported and what was actually going on. You know, there were claims that, you know, there was some sort of pact between Messi and PSG to continue, which it sounds like was never actually really, you know, that much of a reality. And I think there was also a bit of disappointment, you know, on Messi's side, given that there was not that much sort of fanfare, you know, for him regarding the success in the World Cup in Paris, despite the fact that PSG's owners, you know, obviously, you know, also helped to host the Qatar World Cup. And I think also the fact that PSG, you know, needed to rethink the project, you know, wanted to keep them on board because at the end of the day, they did put a contract proposal forward. That contract proposal is still on the table.

Obviously, there's no expectation that Messi and his entourage will, you know, suddenly turn around and accept that. But, you know, there was an unwillingness, I would say, from PSG's side to really push the boat out financially, given what they'd already committed to Messi for these first two years. Our colleague, Vrbiccio Romano, reported last week that Riyadh-based El-Halal offered Messi a $438 million contract for one year. He's also been linked with Inter-Miami and Major League Soccer and linked to his former club Barcelona when you see the options for Messi and based on what you're hearing, I mean, what do those options look like at this point? It certainly sounds like those are some of the realistic options available to him. But the one thing that also comes out when you sort of talk to people in and around the situation is that there's not really a desire from Messi to go away from Europe just yet. He certainly wants at least one more crack at the Champions League. You know, so I think if he is to move on from PSG and to remain in Europe, obviously Barcelona, you know, will be a high priority given his history there.

But equally, it would have to be a club that could potentially be able to offer Champions League football. So who knows if there is a team that qualifies for the Champions League. Maybe there is, you know, the possibility of a different option. But at this moment in time, sort of the solid offers that have been put forward have come from some of these sort of overseas clubs, which would require Messi to walk away from European soccer for good, which is something that doesn't sound like he's going to go away from Europe. And of course, it's not just Champions League football. It's who can afford him as well. We all know about Barcelona's financial situation.

So certainly interesting to have him linked back to his former club, CBS Sports Soccer Insider Jonathan Johnson joining us from Paris to break down the news of.

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