Lionel Messi: Where next after Paris Saint-Germain? Barcelona, Saudi Arabia and Miami options assessed

Lionel Messi’s sojourn in the French capital appears to be coming to an end with the Argentina captain set to leave Paris Saint-Germain. After almost two years, the love affair is well and truly over in a relationship which never seemed to be an ideal fit in the first place.

Ad An unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia and the subsequent two-week suspension handed to Messi looks to be the final nail in the coffin and ends this unhappy union between club and player. TransfersMessi offered record-breaking £320m-per-year Saudi contract — Paper Round15 HOURS AGO His forced departure from Barcelona and subsequent move to PSG was reminiscent of a jilted lover looking for a rebound romance that was doomed to fail from the start.

The 35-year-old’s next move is likely to be the swansong in an incredible career that arguably peaked with his glorious World Cup triumph in Qatar. We spoke with two of our European colleagues about where Messi could go next, to assess his most likely next destination.

Messi offered record-breaking £320m-per-year Saudi contract — Paper Round Is Messi suspension a 'turning point’ for PSG — and what comes next? – Inside Europe Messi suspended by PSG for two weeks following Saudi Arabia trip — reports A return to Barcelona? It would be the mother of all Hollywood storylines should Messi return to Catalonia — but we shouldn’t get our hopes up, according to Enrique Sanchez of Eurosport Spain. While this would be his preferred option, Sanchez believes Barcelona’s desperate financial state and Messi’s tattered relationship with club president Joan Laporta would be huge barriers to a potential deal.

“Right now, not high chances [of a return to Barcelona],” he explained. “Barcelona should put their finances in order