With his contract set to expire in the summer, here are 5 Potential Clubs for Lionel Messi.
PSG
The first two clubs on this list are pretty obvious choices but are real options nonetheless. Messi is currently under contract with the Parisians until the summer, and there is still time to renew his deal.
Since joining in the summer of 2022, Messi had produced 29 goals and 30 assists in 64 games. He has lifted one league title so far and is set for another one this season. His time in Paris has also given him a French Supercup win.
Paris signed Messi in the hopes of finally winning the Champions League, but have only reached the Round of 16 in both of his years. The Argentine may want to cut his losses and bow out of Paris now.
Barcelona
When Messi left his club in 2022 he did so in tears and promised that he would return. A mess of factors led to Barcelona saying goodbye to their greatest ever player, but he never truly wanted to leave.
Barcelona has a 9-point lead in the La Liga title race, but financial and sporting issues continue to plague them. The club is in a better position now than they were when Messi left. This means attempting to re-sign him now could be a possibility.
As he nears the twilight of his career, it would be a storybook ending to return to the club that gave him everything.
Inter Miami
Since news broke that Miami would get an MLS team, and former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy star David Beckham was to be one of their owners, every big star in the world has been softly linked with a switch to the states.
Among all the names, Messi’s has always rung out louder than the others. Multiple meetings reportedly have already taken place between the Florida team and Messi’s entourage.Â
While a move to the MLS would be a step down from the European stage, Messi would be utterly unmatched in America, and could even make a case for being an even bigger transfer than that of David Beckham. Messi would undoubtedly bring millions of eyes to the MLS and raise the level well beyond what it ever has been before.
Newell’s Old Boys
Messi is credited as one of the greatest Barcelona youth products, but he did play for another club before Catalonia.
From ages eight to 13 before moving to Barcelona, Lionel Messi played his youth soccer with Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina. He has often spoken of his fondness for his hometown club and has even hinted at a return on numerous occasions.
Similarly to a return to Barcelona, it’s written in the stars for the World Cup winner to return to Argentina. Like a potential move to the MLS, Messi would undoubtedly be the best player in Argentina, probably all of South America, and could help lead his old side to glory before hanging up his boots.
Saudi Arabia
With Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock move to Saudi club Al-Nassr in January, the possibility opens up to bring in another superstar. Ronaldo’s transfer was about more than just football but was an advertising scheme to bring tourism into the country.
Since the Portuguese star’s move, rumors have been swirling around Messi’s head as well. Al-hilal is the front-runner at the moment but Al-Ittihad has ao shown some interest.
This could be an intriguing move for the Argentine superstar for a number of reasons. The biggest of those reasons is the paycheck. Ronaldo is bringing in a reported 215 million dollars, and the Daily Mail reports that Al-Hilal(backed by the Saudi government) is preparing a nearly 200 million-dollar-a-year contract. Beyond the paycheck, it would give him another stage to compete with one of the world’s greatest, and try and stake a true claim at being the greatest of all time.
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