PSG: Messi eyes $400m per year, fans want Neymar out, Mourinho may join

On Tuesday, it was reported that Lionel Messi will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season upon the expiry of his contract.

Although the news came following Messi’s internal suspension for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this week, the Argentine is reported to have made the decision a few weeks ago.

With Messi set to be a free agent, speculation over his next destination is expected to ramp up over the next weeks.

He has been linked with a sensational return to Barcelona, although it is not the only offer that he is entertaining.

The Telegraph has reported that Messi is in talks over a move to the Roshn Saudi League, which would see him playing in the same country as Cristiano Ronaldo once again. Although any possible clubs are unknown, a deal is believed to be worth $400m per year.

That would make Messi the highest-paid player in world football, and it is a deal that Barcelona could only dream of matching. Given their financial issues, they can only afford to offer the 36-year-old a relatively low wage, but it could be enough nonetheless. 

As fans demonstrate calling for the sacking of Neymar Jr, Jose Mourinho reportedly negotiating with PSG

The Portuguese coach is said to be negotiating a deal to link up with the French club for next season. The Portuguese coach is said to be negotiating a deal to link up with the French club for next season.

 The 60-year-old is currently at AS Roma in Italy however, after winning the Conference League last season and putting the side in the race for the Champions League spots this year, it seems that there is still credit in the bank to be used.

Foot Mercato are reporting that talks have taken place between Mourinho and the French team with a view to the Portuguese taking over the club for the 23/24 season.

Galtier has been under fire at PSG after his positive start ended rapidly: defeats to Bayern in the Champions League round of 16 and a cup exit at the hands of rivals Marseille left the squad uncertain about his prospects as continuing as coach, and as such the manager is in a more than precarious position.

The report says that while there has been no contact between the two clubs, negotiations between the French side and the manager have happened. PSG approve of his authoritarian approach, something they perhaps see as necessary given the meltdown this season.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain most strongly condemns the intolerable and insulting actions of a small group of individuals that took place on Wednesday.

Whatever the differences of opinion, nothing justifies such actions. The Club gives its full support to its players, its staff and all those targeted by such shameful behaviour."

PSG are still frontrunners to win the Ligue 1 title this year, but the culture within the club currently depicts disarray rather than solidarity.

Neymar had logged 13 goals and 11 assists in 20 league games this season prior to his injury, but didn't feature in a key game against Bundesliga's Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 earlier in the year.

The 31-year-old Brazilian renewed his contract to 2025 back in 2021, and later triggered an automatic two-year extension to increase the length to 2027, according to Spanish newspaper MARCA.

Besides Messi and Neymar's murky situations, the other marquee name for Les Bleus is Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, who inked a three-year extension in 2022 and also has a two-year option to extend it again.

The 24-year-old had been strongly rumored to join La Liga's Real Madrid before eventually opting to stay with PSG, but now questions on his future could reemerge as the Messi and Neymar clouds grow darker.