With his contract ending with PSG on June 30, Lionel Messi is set to become a free agent and he will depart from the Ligue 1 side. The 2022 FIFA World Cup has been rumored to have accepted a deal with Saudi club Al-Hilal, setting up a potential showdown with long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The offer is reported to be a whopping amount of 350 million Euros, but Al-Hilal have denied this development and so has Messi's father and agent Jorge.
Other than Al-Hilal, Messi is rumored to return to former club FC Barcelona. The Argentine genius departed his boyhood club in August 2022, after the club couldn't come to an agreement with La Liga's financial rules. According to Sport, it looks like the Catalan side are now doing everything possible for Messi's return. The publication stated that the club have carried out an internal economical report, which shows that Messi's return would be highly profitable.
Also Read | Kylian Mbappe, Gianni Infantino send message of support to Vinicius Junior after racist abuse
The report states that Messi's return will be worth 230 million Euros per-year, out of which 150 million Euros would come from new sponsors, while 80 million Euros would come from ticket sales. Also, while Camp Nou undergoes renovation, the club will use the Montjuic Stadium next season. Meanwhile, Messi's yearly reported salary is 25 million Euros, and with other expenses, the report reveals that the club could make a profit of 100 million Euros overall. The club will submit the report to La Liga and wait for their permission.
Last season, Messi grew 13 percent in sponsorship and 60 percent in shirt sales, which generated a lot of money for PSG. Also in terms of spectators, Barcelona's first season without Messi saw a huge drop in the number of fans at the Camp Nou. Although with the arrival of Lewandowski and the team improving, the numbers have improved this season.
{{/usCountry}}Last season, Messi grew 13 percent in sponsorship and 60 percent in shirt sales, which generated a lot of money for PSG. Also in terms of spectators, Barcelona's first season without Messi saw a huge drop in the number of fans at the Camp Nou. Although with the arrival of Lewandowski and the team improving, the numbers have improved this season.
{{/usCountry}}Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has been pushing the most for Messi's return reportedly. This season, Messi has an average of goals and assists greater than those of Erling Haaland and teammate Kylian Mbappe. According to El Nacional, Messi has already agreed to join Barcelona and will officially sign when the club receives an official document from La Liga that the transfer can go through without any hiccups, just like the last-minute Financial Fair Play issues which saw him move to PSG.