Paris Saint-Germain chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi remains confident that the club will be able to tie Lionel Messi down to a new contract.
Messi’s current deal with PSG expires in the summer of 2023 and there has been plenty of speculation over his future.
Inter Miami are hopeful of tempting him over to join the MLS but they will face stern competition from PSG after the World Cup has concluded.
Messi has been in fine form for Argentina and is currently preparing for their quarter-final clash with the Netherlands on Friday.
Al-Khelaifi claims (via Sky Sports): “He’s very happy, you can see that with the national team. If a player’s not happy you will see their performance not good for the national team.
“He performed fantastic this season for us, he’s scored a lot of goals and assists for the national team and for the club.
“So what we agreed together – that after the World Cup, sit down together. But both sides – our side of the club and him – are very happy, so we will talk after the World Cup.”
Even at 35-year-old Messi isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. He’s been one of the best players at the tournament so far with three goals and an assist.
Messi had been in fine form for PSG prior to the international break and it is easy to see why they are so keen on tying him down to a new deal.
PSG currently have three of football’s biggest superstars all playing in the same team. Al-Khelaifi also spoke on the possibility of signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
He adds: “He’s a legend, he’s a star. The footballer, I admire and love him as a player and professional. A fantastic player. 37 now – he’s doing amazing. But every single club wants to sign him too.
“The problem today for us is we have the position [filled] – his position – so it’s not easy to replace the position that we have with him. It would be impossible, honestly, for us.”
Kylian Mbappe has been one of the players of the tournament so far and Al-Khelaifi was more than pleased that the French star extended his stay with PSG in the summer.
“For me he’s a very top, top player and a top human being, professional,” Al-Khelaifi adds about Mbappe.
“So for me it was really key he stayed and he didn’t leave for free. That’s another important point but as I always said, I always trusted him, trusted his family because we created something [of a] special relation with the player and them and that’s why he’s Parisian, he’s French and he’s proud always to be in France.
“He’s going to face England and that’s what it’s about, he represents France and his national team but also his club.”
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