Messi ‘likely to leave’ PSG for Barca return

Lionel Messi is ‘likely to leave’ Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the season -and Barcelona could be waiting.

The World Cup winner had to swap the Nou Camp for the Parc des Princes after La Liga salary regulations prevented the Catalans from signing him onto a new contract.

After an emotional farewell to his boyhood club, he has contributed 29 goals and 32 assists in 67 appearances for the French giants.

However, with the club looking to offload at least one of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, Messi may be the one the French champions choose to sacrifice.

And according to reports, Barcelona could be waiting for him.

PSG will likely choose to offload Messi to help make room in their squad.

It initially appeared Messi was going to extend his stay in the French capital, but a limp Champions League exit to Bayern Munich and the constant whistling and booing greeting his name during PSG’s 1-0 loss to Lyon suggests the picture has changed.

It is also believed Barcelona would like to welcome Messi, two years after he tearfully waved goodbye to the club.

However, the same salary caps in place when Messi departed are still in place, meaning the club will likely find it difficult to find room in their budget for his demands.

Messi has also been linked to moves to Saudi Arabia and to the MLS, with David Beckham’s franchise Inter Miami being repeatedly uttered in the same sentence as the little Argentine. According to reports, Messi’s contract is worth a humongous £32m gross per season.