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Since Barcelona announced Lionel Messi would be leaving, PSG have been on their toes to sign the Argentine up. Every club would love to have the greatest player of all time don their jersey, but PSG seem to be one of the few clubs that can afford him.
As distraught as Lionel Messi might be as he is forced to leave Barcelona, he has to look ahead to the future. According to reports, his next destination could be Paris.
Lionel Messi to PSG - The deal of the 21st century?
The statement by Barcelona, which announced Lionel Messi's departure, was one that took the world by shock. Despite the complications involved in the new contract, every fan assumed Barcelona and La Liga would find a way to keep Messi in Spain. After all, Lionel Messi is not merely any player; he is a brand. His departure will mean millions of euros lost in sponsorship deals and broadcast revenue.
One team's loss is another's gain. As seen with Neymar and Ronaldo before, there is a whole list of Europe's 'elites' that can afford superstars. However, with Manchester City splashing the cash on Jack Grealish, Manchester United finally landing Jadon Sancho and Chelsea pursuing Romelu Lukaku, PSG seem to have a clear path to Lionel Messi's signature.
The French club might need to offload some players to balance their books in the end though. As such, the following list looks at five players who could end up leaving PSG after the arrival of Lionel Messi.
#5 Pablo Sarabia
Pablo Sarabia joined PSG in the summer of 2019. The 29-year-old attacker signed a five-year contract at the time, which means it runs through to 2024. Following an impressive campaign with Sevilla in 2018-19 where he scored 13 goals and bagged as many assists, a lot was expected of his move to PSG.
However, Sarabia was unable to break into the first team on a consistent basis. The Spanish international made just 13 starts in the league in 2019-20, along with eight appearances off the bench. The 2020-21 season was slightly better, as he managed 27 appearances, 14 of them coming as a substitute. Sarabia also had 11 goal contributions for PSG in all competitions.
Messi's potential signing leaves Sarabia's future hanging in the balance. Should a suitable offer arrive, PSG would certainly consider cashing in on the Spanish attacker. Inter Milan, Lazio and Atletico Madrid are reportedly interested in him.
#4 Julian Draxler
Julian Draxler officially joined PSG in January 2017. Once rated as Germany's best prospect, the 27-year-old has had a rather lackluster career. Granted he's been with one of Europe's elite for over four years, but he never made a meaningful impact at PSG.
Draxler made 34 appearances for PSG in all competitions in 2020-21. He contributed 11 goals, scoring four and notching seven assists. Despite signing a new contract in May, which will keep him at the club until 2024, PSG might be looking to find suitors for him. A bloated squad just leads to low team morale, and Draxler might need to find himself a new club this summer.
#3 Mauro Icardi
Mauro Icardi, a fellow countryman of Lionel Messi, joined PSG in 2019 from Inter Milan. In what was initially a loan move, the French side decided to make his stay in Paris permanent in 2020. Icardi's time in Italy portrayed him as a prolific striker as he bagged 124 goals for Inter. The Argentine has had his fair share of controversies too, ahead of his move to PSG.
Icardi was signed to emulate Edinson Cavani's fine form, which dipped due to his decline. The 28-year-old's first season could be deemed a success, as he ended the 2019-20 campaign with 20 goals from 34 appearances. However, the following season wasn't as fruitful as he netted 13 goals, with just seven of them coming in the league. Icardi managed just 28 appearances in all competitions last campaign owing to injury problems.
While a move away from PSG might seem unlikely at this stage, it should not be ruled out entirely. The French club will stop at nothing to sign Lionel Messi, and Icardi could be forced out of the club. Roma are among the clubs who have expressed interest in taking Icardi back to Italy.
#2 Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria was one of the players photographed with Lionel Messi on holiday in the past week.The 33-year-old winger has not had a straightforward career. From his highs at Real Madrid to his failure in England with Manchester United, Di Maria now finds himself at PSG.
Di Maria is an international teammate of Lionel Messi, and scored the winning goal in the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil. On paper, it would appear that Di Maria would be eager to play alongside Lionel Messi at club level too. His six goals and 18 assists in the 2020-21 season would also point to him being a key part of PSG's attack. However, at the age of 33, he is past his peak.
PSG need to significantly reduce their wage bill if they are to land Lionel Messi. If they are unable to clear out the fringe players, then it would leave them with no choice but to let Di Maria leave. PSG are well aware that the 33-year-old winger does not have many years of top-flight football left in him anymore, and could be open to offloading him.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is a player that needs no introduction. The 22-year-old joined PSG initially on loan in 2017, and signed a permanent contract in 2018. Mbappe is the second most expensive transfer of all time, behind only Neymar. The Frenchman is also touted as the next player to enter the 'greatest of all time' debate after the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rightfully so, as his numbers are extraordinary. Mbappe had more goal contributions than appearances last season. In the 47 times he took to the pitch, Mbappe found the back of the net 42 times and further claimed 11 assists. Selling him right now would sound preposterous, right?
The situation is complex, however. Mbappe's contract with PSG is due to expire in 2022, and the 22-year-old is reluctant to sign an extension. Ever since he was a child, he dreamed of playing for Real Madrid. Mbappe's desire to move to Madrid is so strong that he is ready to run down his contract with PSG. Hence, in this situation, PSG would rather let go of Mbappe for a fee than risk losing him on a free next year.
His departure would also clear out a huge chunk of the wage bill. Not to mention, the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi, would be his replacement. If it does boil down to Mbappe or Lionel Messi, PSG would surely prefer signing Lionel Messi. This would open the door for Mbappe to make the switch to Real Madrid.
