A surprising new development has reportedly taken place in the pursuit for Lionel Messi's signature.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, reports suggested that the Argentine, whose current contract is set to expire in June, would extend his stay at the Parc Des Princes.
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However, since the tournament ended, Messi has reportedly received a number of offers from teams in the US, Argentina and Saudi Arabia, with Al Hilal believed to be prepared to pay the World Cup winner a mouthwatering deal worth $350 million (R6.2 billion) a year.
Despite there being doubts as to whether or not Messi would still be in Paris next season, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has remained confident a contract extension can be pushed over the line.
According to Foot Mercato, though, the tricky forward has become disillusioned with the idea of staying at Les Parisiens beyond this campaign.
The report adds that Messi, after delaying talks over a new contract, is now "leaning" towards an exit from the Ligue 1 giants when his current deal expires in June.
However, it is further claimed that PSG are also waiting until their UEFA Champions League campaign ends before deciding if they should present the superstar with a new deal or not.
While an extension no longer looks likely, the report does suggest that a potential renewal is not completely off the table, as things stand.
David Beckham's Inter Miami have been widely linked with a move for Messi, but it is believed the veteran is unsure about making the switch to the MLS as he would like to remain with the Argentina national team until 2024, and feels a move to the US might hurt his chances of doing so.
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Despite being in the latter stages of his career, the South American has shown no signs of slowing down, with an impressive 20 goal contributions in 18 Ligue 1 matches this season.
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