- Messi departs PSG after two years
- Has confirmed move to Inter Miami
- Barca and Al-Hilal miss out
WHAT HAPPENED? Messi leaves PSG as a free agent after two years, with neither the player or club keen to renew his contract. His time with the French champions ended in a cloud, with Messi suspended internally for going on a trip the club didn't sanction. He's since agreed to join MLS club Inter Miami, despite being keen on a return to boyhood club Barcelona.
WHAT THEY SAID: In a wide-ranging interview with Spanish media outlets Mundo Deportivo and Sport, Messi said:"I had two years where I was so unhappy on a personal level that I didn't enjoy it. I had that month that was spectacular for me because of winning the World Cup, but apart from that, it was a difficult period for me. I want to rediscover joy, enjoy my family, my children, the day-to-day... And that's why the decision for Barcelona didn't happen."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi and PSG are unlikely to remain on friendly terms after his exit, nor this interview, although Barcelona fans may be cursing the club's financial situation, which prevented a homecoming to Camp Nou this summer. Messi said he "wanted" to go back to Barca, but couldn't make it work.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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@FabrizioRomanoWHAT NEXT? Messi's move to Inter Miami has already been confirmed and it's expected that he will link up with his new teammates in July.