Conflicting reports have emerged in relation to Lionel Messi and his future at Ligue 1 giants PSG amid reports linking him with MLS side Inter Miami.
Messi is into his second season at PSG after he left FC Barcelona before the 2021/22 campaign.
The 35-year-old endured an underwhelming debut season as he struggled to make a significant impact for the French side.
But the attacker has been in stunning form this term. He has grabbed 12 goals and 14 assists in just 19 outings for PSG.
This set him up well for the World Cup and he won the Golden Ball award as Argentina won the competition for the third time.
This would not have been possible without Messi as the veteran scored seven goals and provided three assists in Qatar.
Messi is currently in Argentina celebrating with his team-mates but talk is shifting to his future at PSG with his current deal due to expire in 2023.
He has been heavily linked with Inter Miami and last month it was suggested that the MLS outfit ‘expect’ to sign him next year.
But Fabrizio Romano is now reporting that PSG have ‘reached a verbal agreement’ with Messi to extend his contract.
The reporter describes this as a ‘verbal pact’ but ‘no decision’ has yet been made over Messi’s length of contract or his salary. He claims that this ‘will be decided in a new meeting soon’.
This may not be entirely true, though. Ben Jacobs has claimed that Romano’s report is not accurate as there is ‘no verbal agreement in place’.
Jacobs adds that PSG’s hierarchy are “very surprised” by reports about Messi as ‘no conversations’ have taken place between the club and the player after the World Cup.
‘Told it is NOT true Lionel Messi has verbally agreed to a new PSG deal,’ Jacobs said via Twitter.
‘Senior PSG club sources reiterate Messi is happy & they’d love a 1+1 extension. But no post-World Cup conversations yet & thus no verbal agreement in place. Talks to renew will only happen in New Year.
‘PSG have always been confident Messi will extend. He’s settled in Paris and in excellent form.
‘But club sources are “very surprised” by news Messi has already told them he’ll extend. He’s celebrating his World Cup win and no conversations on the matter have yet taken place.’
Romano later doubled down on his stance. He stated that Messi has been ‘convinced to stay for at least one more season’.
He notes that ‘nothing is signed’ and that the supposed agreement between Messi and PSG is ‘just verbal’.
Either way, it seems likely that Messi will stay on at PSG. As he showed at the World Cup, he still has a lot in the tank and can thrive at the highest level.
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