"There is an agreement for Messi to renew his contract with PSG" - Guillem Balague provides update and crushes reports about Barcelona return

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has revealed that Lionel Messi has agreed to renew his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) despite interest from Barcelona.

Messi, who put an end to his 21-year association with Barcelona last year, has his contract with PSG expiring at the end of the season. It was widely reported that he will make a decision about his future after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Now that the tournament is done and dusted, with the 35-year-old leading Argentina to glory, his future is back under the microscope. Despite being on the wrong side of his 30s, he is certainly not short of options.

The Ligue 1 champions are determined to retain the forward's services beyond next summer, while Barcelona are keen to take him back to Camp Nou. Meanwhile, Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami have also been mooted as an option for him.

However, it is Les Parisiens who are set to emerge victorious in the race to acquire the player's services for next season, according to Balague. The football expert claimed that there is an agreement for the Argentinean to sign a new deal. He wrote on Twitter:

"Time to talk about future of Leo. For four months Luis Campos has communicated with Jorge Messi. There was a key meeting in Doha between Jorge and PSG chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi and they advanced. There is an agreement for Messi to renew his contract with PSG."

Balague went on to reveal that the seven-time Ballon d'Or will sign a new one-year deal with the Ligue 1 giants with an option to extend it by another year. He added:

"He has a two years [deal] plus one with PSG. French club has abandoned the idea of using the ‘plus 1’ to renew and instead they offer one year plus another one to be agreed by both parts."

Messi could thus end his illustrious career at the Parc des Princes.

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Balague rules out Barcelona return for PSG superstar Messi

The Catalans are reportedly keen to re-sign the FIFA World Cup winner next year. As per Balague, however, they are yet to formalize their interest with an offer. The Spaniard wrote:

"Barcelona have not approached him or his dad to offer anything. So it is not that Leo does not want to return to Barcelona. He has not been asked the question!"

Balague also clarified that negotiations over a new deal with the French giants will speed up when the forward returns from his break after the World Cup.