Lionel Messi 'to leave Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer at the end of June'

Lionel Messi will reportedly leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of June.

The Argentina international penned a two-year contract with the French giants in the summer of 2021 after leaving Barcelona due to their financial problems.

The agreement included the option to renew the deal for another year, taking him until next June, but according to BBC Sport, the decision has now been made for him to cut ties with the capital giants this year.

The report claims that neither Messi nor PSG want to continue their relationship, with the club looking to move in a different direction, as they attempt to finally end their frustration in the Champions League.

The World Cup winner has been suspended by PSG for two weeks after he travelled to Saudi Arabia without the club's permission earlier this week.

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Messi allegedly asked for permission to make the trip in order to 'carry out commercial work', with the experienced forward a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia.

However, PSG refused to allow the forward permission, and he has now been suspended for two weeks, which will see him miss matches against Troyes and Ajaccio, while he will also not train with the club.

Messi has featured on 37 occasions at club level during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 20 goals and registering 16 assists in the process.

The Argentine netted four goals and registered four assists in seven Champions League appearances, but PSG were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the last-16 stage of the competition.

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Messi has also scored 15 goals and registered 15 assists in 28 Ligue 1 appearances this term, with Christophe Galtier's side top of the table, five points clear of second-placed Marseille.

Barcelona continue to be heavily linked with Messi, with the Catalan outfit determined to re-sign him this summer, but it remains to be seen whether the club can afford him due to their ongoing financial problems.

Inter Miami are said to lead the MLS interest in a player widely recognised as one of the best footballers in the history of the sport.

Meanwhile, a number of Saudi Arabian clubs are believed to be prepared to make him the highest-paid player of all time above Cristiano Ronaldo to make the move to the country this summer.

Messi may have already played his last game for the club, but at this stage, he will be available for the Ligue 1 fixtures against Auxerre, Strasbourg and Clermont.