Messi's father: PSG star hasn't agreed to play anywhere next season
Lionel Messi's father, Jorge, insists that the Paris Saint-Germain forward hasn't made a decision about his future amid fresh reports that the Argentine agreed to play in Saudi Arabia next season.
"There's absolutely nothing with no club for next year," Jorge Messi wrote on Instagram, as translated by Ben Burrows of The Athletic. "The decision will not be taken before Lionel finishes the league with PSG.
"Once the season is finished, that will be the time to analyze and see what there is, and then take a decision."
With the 35-year-old's contract set to expire this summer, the superstar is widely expected to depart PSG and has been linked with multiple teams. There's speculation he could return to Barcelona, while other reports indicate that Inter Miami of Major League Soccer are a serious contender.
Saudi Arabia - where former La Liga rival Cristiano Ronaldo plays - is the newest reported landing spot, with Agence France-Presse's Haitham El-Tabei quoting a source who said the agreement with an unnamed club was "a done deal." But Messi's father characterized such reports as disrespectful to the 2022 World Cup winner.
Jorge added: "There are always rumours and lots of people use Lionel's name to gain notoriety, but there is only one truth and we can assure people that there is nothing with nobody. Not verbal, signed, agreed, and there won't be until the season finishes.
"It seems like a lack of respect to me … that there are those who consciously and deliberately deceive people, without providing any proof of their affirmations, and wanting to turn into news any rumor that is badly intentioned or directed by somebody in favour of their interests. They should explain why they don't check their information … They wouldn't want a truth to ruin their 'news.'"
Speculation over Lionel's future picked up steam after PSG suspended him last week for his unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia, where the former Barcelona star is a tourism ambassador.
He was issued a two-week suspension, but sources told Julien Laurens of ESPN that the ban has been cut short and Messi will be available to play PSG's Ligue 1 game against Ajaccio on Saturday.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has 15 goals and 15 assists in Ligue 1 this season, his best campaign since joining PSG on a two-year contract from Barcelona in 2021. PSG lead second-place Lens by six points with four games left in the season.