Lionel Messi: 'I NEVER wanted to join PSG'
Cameron Smith
- 18 Aug 2023 10:03 BST
- 4 min read
Lionel Messi has told reporters that he “didn’t want” to leave Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
Messi, 36, left the Parisians earlier this summer to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami after two fairly uninspiring years at the Parc des Princes.
MORE: Messi reveals motivation behind dumping PSG for MLS switch
He departed Barcelona after 21 years at the club - having joined La Masia from Newell’s Old Boys in 2000 - but Messi has now revealed he never wanted to leave Camp Nou.
His Blaugrana exit was not planned, but came about due to the financial troubles at the club. Barcelona simply couldn’t afford to extend Messi’s contract, which led to him leaving on a free transfer in the 2021 summer transfer window.
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Messi ‘didn’t want to leave Barcelona’
Messi has now admitted that he did not want to sign for PSG. As per L’Equipe, he told reporters during his first press conference as an Inter Miami player: “My departure for PSG isn’t something I wanted. I didn’t want to leave Barcelona.
“It happened overnight. I had to get used to a new place after so many years at Barcelona.”
The 2022 World Cup winner helped PSG lift the Ligue 1 title in both of his campaigns in France and ended his stay at the Parc des Princes with 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 appearances for the club.
However, an exit looked inevitable following an unauthorised visit to Saudi Arabia during last season, which led to Messi being dropped. He was heavily linked with a summer transfer to the Saudi Pro League, but ended up joining Inter Miami, who are owned by David Beckham.
Messi has flourished in the USA since arriving and has netted nine goals and provided one assist in six games for his new club.
His former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have followed him to Miami and now also ply their trade for the Beckham-owned team.
