Paris Saint-Germain has made contact with Lionel Messi about a possible move, Mauricio Pochettino confirmed. Sources told ESPN that the arrival of the player could have an impact on the futures for Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe.ESPN was told by sources that PSG reached out directly to Messi after Barca's unexpected announcement that he wouldn't be signing a new contract with them. Leonardo, the PSG sporting director, and Nasser al Khhelaifi, the chairman, are heavily involved in the talks with Messi. They have been in touch with Jorge for some time.Barca President lifts the lid on Messi’s shock exit- Watch ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (only in the U.S.)- Do you not have ESPN? Get instant accessPochettino confirmed this information at a press conference before PSG's first game in Ligue 1. He said that signing Messi was a possibility. "The club is still working on it, and if we have any information, we will share it as soon as possible."Sources claimed that Messi's move to PSG would increase the chances of Mbappe signing a long-term contract with the club. Real Madrid would lose the opportunity to sign the 22-year old on a free transfer next season.Messi's arrival would also signal that PSG have ended their interest in Manchester United midfielder Pogba. This would mean that he would be free to sign a new contract with Old Trafford.Since Messi's August 2020 announcement that he wanted Camp Nou to close, PSG has been vocal about their desire to sign Messi. ESPN has been told by sources that Messi was on holiday in Ibiza when Neymar, from PSG, pushed him to join the club. Messi also spoke to Leandro Paredes, Angel Di Maria and Marco Verratti about the matter.PSG's owner Tamim Bin Hamad wants Messi to join the club. Sources tell ESPN that he has been kept up to date on all conversations. Since he purchased the club in 2011, Bin Hamad has always wanted to sign Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.If Messi is able to be enticed to PSG, it will have serious financial consequences. The 34-year old would be a free agent once he has resigned from Barca but would still receive a substantial contract in terms wages, commissions and bonuses.Barcelona president Joan Laporta said Friday that he didn't want to create false hope about Messi's return and added that the club is the most important.Laporta stated, "I don’t want to create false hope." "We've heard of other offers for Messi during the negotiations. We and they had to agree on a time limit because they are dependent on time."The leagues have begun. I'm not prepared to mortgage the club for 50 year for anyone. Financial fair play dictates that the decision has been made. There is a limit to the player salary.
