New Lionel Messi contract "practically all agreed with PSG"

Lionel Messi looks poised to sign a new contract to extend his time at Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi joined PSG in August 2021 after spending more than 20 years at Barcelona.

The contract signed by Messi when he moved to Paris tied him to PSG until June 2023, while it also included a one-year extension option.

But rather than simply exercising that option to extend his current deal by 12 months, Messi is expected to put pen to paper on a fresh agreement.

Lionel Messi looks set to sign a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain

According to BBC Sport, Messi's new deal will run until June 2024 but it will also include a one-year extension option, meaning he could now remain in Paris until the summer of 2025.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said earlier this week that he "would love" Messi to return to the Camp Nou.

But BBC Sport's European soccer expert Guillem Balague said on Saturday: "It is practically all agreed with PSG. Barcelona have not approached him or his dad to offer anything.

"So it is not that Messi does not want to return to Barcelona. He has not been asked the question.

"Messi is happy with it all and when back from his holidays the agreement will speed up.

"His life in Paris is balanced, happy, everybody is enjoying it and he has a real possibility of winning the Champions League again. Plus, it will help him be a candidate again for the Ballon d'Or."

Messi has won the Ballon d'Or award seven times

Messi did not even feature on the shortlist of 30 candidates for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, which was eventually won by Karim Benzema.

But after providing seven goals and three assists in Argentina's victorious World Cup campaign in Qatar, Messi is the current favorite to win the prize in 2023.

Messi's brilliance at Qatar 2022 came as no surprise to those who have watched him in action for PSG on a regular basis this season.

The 35-year-old has scored 11 goals and registered 14 assists in 18 Ligue 1 and Champions League matches.