Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to renew his contract with Paris St-Germain, according to Guillem Balague.

The current of Messi PSG the deal is due to expire next summer, which has recently led to talk of a potential return to Barcelona.

Barca president Joan Laporta has publicly expressed his desire to bring the World Cup-winning Argentina captain back to Camp Nou.but it is believed that Messi should stay in Paris for another year instead.

Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to renew his contract with Paris St-Germain

Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina last week, is expected to stay at PSG until 2024

He reportedly agreed to a renewal which also includes the option of an additional year if he wants to stay at PSG until 2025.

balaga says BBC Sports: ‘It’s almost all in agreement with PSG. Barcelona haven’t approached him or his father to offer anything.

“So it’s not that Messi doesn’t want to return to Barcelona. He wasn’t asked the question.

“Messi is happy with all of this and when he returns from vacation the deal will speed up.”

Messi has spent the last 18 months at the Parc des Princes after joining PSG in 2021

Now he must stay put for another year after agreeing to extend his current contract

It will deal a blow to Barcelona chief Joan Laporta, who wanted to re-sign the superstar

“His life in Paris is balanced, happy, everyone benefits from it and he has a real possibility of winning the Champions League again. Moreover, it will help him to be a candidate for the Ballon d’Or again.

Messi, who has spent the last 18 months at PSG, finally got his hands on the World Cup on fifth request last weekend, scoring twice in Argentina’s triumph over France.

The top international award was the only major honor missing from his storied CV, meaning he can now retire from football having won it all.

Laporta will be disappointed to learn of his PSG renewal, having opened the door for the Barca icon to return for a second stint in Catalonia.

“About Messi, we cannot generate expectations,” said Laporta Barca TV. “Messi is a PSG player and has a contract with them.

“He won the World Cup and the Culés are very happy. What I don’t want to do is generate expectations which are currently very difficult.

“For us he is the best player ever, we had him here and I am convinced that at his heart he is a Culé and will always be linked with Barca.

“Whether or not he comes back as a player, at the moment he is at PSG and we would very much like him to come back one day, but we will see.”