- Lionel Messi could be on the move this summer, according to a report in ESPN.
- There would be great interest in the player's signature.
Lionel Messi's options are drying up at Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, and the player could be on the move again this summer, according to an ESPN report Tuesday.
Messi, a goal-scoring forward, joined PSG on a two-year deal in 2021 after spending his entire professional career at FC Barcelona, where he won 10 national championships and four Champions League titles, and played to such a high standard he is now widely regarded as one of the best players of all time.
Though the 35-year-old won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, having scored seven goals and three assists in Qatar, he has been unable to replicate that form in France.
With the player's contract running out, PSG only wants to retain him if he accepts a 25% cut in his €40 million per season wage ($43.48 million).
The report says Messi is uninterested in reducing his wages and is instead interested in what could transpire in the upcoming transfer market when he can seek alternative offers.
In recent years, Messi has been linked with moves to Manchester City, Inter Milan, and back to Barcelona.
Saudi reportedly wants Messi to join Ronaldo in its national league
But there is also interest outside of Europe. Spanish newspaper Marca reported last month that Saudi Arabia is considering a move for Messi that would see him compete in the same division as his old rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Such a deal could earn him a colossal $240 million per year for a hybrid role that would see him play for a Saudi club team while also serving as an ambassador for the country, Marca said.
Of all clubs in Major League Soccer, Inter Miami may have the best chance to bring the iconic player to the States.
ESPN even said people close to Messi are waiting for a bid from Inter and MLS.
Messi, meanwhile, is willing to play in America, the publication said.
Should Messi ever join a team in the U.S., he'd be, by far, the most meaningful signing that the league would have acquired in the modern era.