Paris Saint-Germain, the champions of Ligue 1, announced on Saturday that Lionel Messi will leave the team at the end of the season after two years. Paris Saint-Germain is set to host their opponent Clermont later today in their final league match.
The club stated in a release: "After two seasons in the French capital, Lionel Messi's adventure with Paris Saint-Germain will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season." Speculation about Messi's future at the French club has increased in recent weeks, with a source close to the Argentine captain telling Reuters that he has received an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal starting next season.
The Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported that Al-Hilal is expected to announce the signing of Messi next Tuesday. They offered around 400 million euros per season to acquire the Argentine player, who has been a Saudi tourism ambassador since last year. Various media reports have also linked Messi with a return to Barcelona as well as a potential move to American club Inter Miami.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain, stated in the club's announcement: "I would like to thank Lionel Messi for his two seasons in Paris. It has been wonderful to see the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner in blue and red at Parc des Princes, winning the league title on two consecutive occasions and inspiring young people in our club. What he has done for Paris Saint-Germain and Ligue 1 cannot be underestimated, and we wish Lionel and his family all the best in the future."
This season, Messi scored 21 goals and assisted 20 others for Paris Saint-Germain across all competitions, but he did not leave a significant mark during his two seasons with the team, failing to lead them past the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
