PSG set to offer new contract to Lionel Messi
Suraj Radia
- 14 Jul 2022 16:40 BST
- 3 min read
Paris Saint-Germain are set to approach Lionel Messi and begin negotiations over a new contract to keep him at the club for another season.
The Argentine’s current deal is set to expire next summer and PSG are hoping to extend it for a further 12 months, but the French side have yet to formally present a new deal to Messi’s representatives.
Messi is believed to be unwilling to make a commitment so soon and will likely wait until after the World Cup in December to assess his physical state as well as his priorities going forward.
There was initially talk of there being an optional extension clause in Messi’s deal which he signed last year however those reports are thought to be inaccurate.
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Why do PSG want to renew Messi’s contract?
Messi had an underwhelming season by his standards during his debut year in France, netting just six times in the league and 11 times in all competitions.
He endured a difficult start to his PSG career and ended up only managing to play ten games in a row due to his struggles with injuries and Covid.
However, the ex-Barcelona man appears to have adjusted his play style into a more creative role, having grabbed the second-most assists in Ligue 1 with 14, three behind teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Having cut his vacation short in order to begin his pre-season training in Paris, there is confidence from PSG officials that Messi will have a stronger campaign this time around.
🤔 A return of 2.7 successful dribbles per 90 in the league in 2021/22 represented the lowest return of Leo Messi's career. His previous lowest was 3.9 per 90 in 15/16... pic.twitter.com/XFq6swEt7H
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) July 14, 2022
While the club still believe that retaining Messi would strengthen their Champions League credentials, the presence of the legendary striker has greatly benefited their commercial revenue.
The Qatari-owned side posted their most profitable year since their takeover in 2011, raking in around $700 million, while 60% of the shirts sold last season were Messi’s.
Marc Armstrong, the commercial director for PSG, also revealed that most their sponsorship deals increased after the arrival of Messi, going from $3-5m to $5-8m per brand.
Messi is likely to have several options next summer, such as moves to the MLS with Inter Miami, and has not yet given any indication that he will sign a new deal with PSG.
