<p>Lionel Messi is set to join Paris St Germain after Barcelona were forced to let their Argentine talisman go as they could not afford to give him a new contract under La Liga's salary limit rules, <em>L'Equipe</em> reported on Friday.</p>.<p>Earlier on Friday, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino said Messi was an "option" that was being evaluated by the Ligue 1 club.</p>.<p>A move to PSG would reunite Messi, who has officially been a free agent since July 1, with his former Barcelona teammate Neymar.</p>.<p>On Thursday, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner left Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal.</p>.<p>The 34-year-old was expected to sign a new five-year deal with the Catalan club, which would have included a salary reduction of 50%.</p>.<p>Barcelona president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/we-let-messi-go-to-save-the-club-barcelona-president-1016884.html" target="_blank">Joan Laporta said on Friday that the club was forced to let Messi leave</a> because his high wages coupled with strict La Liga financial rules could have jeopardised its future.</p>.<p>Messi had tried to leave Barcelona in August 2020, making a formal request for an exit after a breakdown in his relationship with then president Josep Maria Bartomeu but successor Laporta, who presided over the Argentine's rise to greatness, convinced him to stay.</p>.<p>Messi has spent his entire professional career at Barcelona, having joined the club's youth set-up aged 13, and went on to score 672 goals in 778 games across all competitions since making his debut in 2003.</p>.<p>PSG have been busy in the off-season, having already brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma from AC Milan, Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid and Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool, all on free transfers. Full-back Achraf Hakimi was signed from Inter Milan.</p>.<p>They will begin their new Ligue 1 campaign at newly-promoted Troyes on Saturday.</p>.<p><strong>Check out <em>DH</em>'s latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>Lionel Messi is set to join Paris St Germain after Barcelona were forced to let their Argentine talisman go as they could not afford to give him a new contract under La Liga's salary limit rules, <em>L'Equipe</em> reported on Friday.</p>.<p>Earlier on Friday, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino said Messi was an "option" that was being evaluated by the Ligue 1 club.</p>.<p>A move to PSG would reunite Messi, who has officially been a free agent since July 1, with his former Barcelona teammate Neymar.</p>.<p>On Thursday, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner left Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal.</p>.<p>The 34-year-old was expected to sign a new five-year deal with the Catalan club, which would have included a salary reduction of 50%.</p>.<p>Barcelona president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/we-let-messi-go-to-save-the-club-barcelona-president-1016884.html" target="_blank">Joan Laporta said on Friday that the club was forced to let Messi leave</a> because his high wages coupled with strict La Liga financial rules could have jeopardised its future.</p>.<p>Messi had tried to leave Barcelona in August 2020, making a formal request for an exit after a breakdown in his relationship with then president Josep Maria Bartomeu but successor Laporta, who presided over the Argentine's rise to greatness, convinced him to stay.</p>.<p>Messi has spent his entire professional career at Barcelona, having joined the club's youth set-up aged 13, and went on to score 672 goals in 778 games across all competitions since making his debut in 2003.</p>.<p>PSG have been busy in the off-season, having already brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma from AC Milan, Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid and Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool, all on free transfers. Full-back Achraf Hakimi was signed from Inter Milan.</p>.<p>They will begin their new Ligue 1 campaign at newly-promoted Troyes on Saturday.</p>.<p><strong>Check out <em>DH</em>'s latest videos:</strong></p>