La Liga

Real Madrid has increased its offer to €170 million ($200 million) for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, according to Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol.

In an interview with French media outlet RMC (h/t ESPN FC's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez), PSG sporting director Leonardo conceded the French forward is looking to depart but added any transfer "will be done under our conditions."

Mbappe is entering the final year of his contract, which is raising questions for both sides of the potential transfer.

A €170 million fee is a steep price to pay—even for a talent as good as Mbappe—when the 22-year-old can be signed on a free transfer next summer. That's also a lot of money for PSG to turn down given his contract status and apparent reluctance to sign an extension.

Some are also wondering how Real Madrid could facilitate such a massive deal given its financial situation. 

Club president Florentino Perez cautioned in April that Madrid and other major European powers would be "dead" by 2024 without the monetary boost the since-abandoned Super League was going to provide.

Madrid did, however, announce a net profit of €874,000 from the 2020-21 season despite the strain the COVID-19 pandemic placed on it and clubs around the world. Los Blancos have subsequently padded their coffers with the sales of Raphael Varane (€41 million) and Martin Odegaard (€35 million).

The Athletic's Adam Crafton reported Real Madrid officials have been pooling a "Mbappe fund" through player sales dating back more than a year. Loaning out Odegaard, Gareth Bale and Luka Jovic allowed the club to stash money for a marquee transfer as well.

Still, the transfer fee alone wouldn't represent the entirety of the outlay required to sign Mbappe right now.

The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has allowed Karim Benzema to shine to an even larger degree at the Santiago Bernabeu. Benzema totaled 65 goals in La Liga in the first three seasons following Ronaldo's move to Juventus.

But the 13-time European champions haven't found a true replacement for the Portuguese star, both in terms of his impact on the pitch and the commercial value he provided. Mbappe would unquestionably address both concerns.

There isn't any indication Paris Saint-Germain is willing to let the 2018 World Cup champion leave this summer, but Real Madrid is doing everything it can to test Leonardo's resolve.

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo confirmed Wednesday that star forward Kylian Mbappe wants to leave PSG.

Speaking to RMC (h/t Get French Football News), Leonardo said: "Kylian Mbappe wants to leave, that seems clear. ... If he wants to leave, we will not stop him, but on our terms."

It was previously reported by Adam Crafton of The Athletic that PSG had rejected a €160 million ($188 million) bid from Real Madrid for Mbappe.

Although the initial bid was rejected, L'Equipe (h/t AS) that PSG would consider an offer of €200 million ($235 million) from Real Madrid.

Leonardo confirmed PSG rejected Real Madrid's first offer, and while the expectation is that Real Madrid will improve its offer before next Tuesday's deadline, the sporting director said he does not "plan to speak again" with Los Blancos, per RMC Sport (h/t Alex Young of the Evening Standard).

Mbappe's contract is set to expire next summer, meaning he could leave without PSG receiving any compensation. That is likely why the Ligue 1 side is showing a willingness to move Mbappe if the right offer is made.

Leonardo expressed his belief that Real Madrid is posturing to land Mbappe on a free transfer next summer, saying:

"In terms of our position on Real, it seems like a strategy to try to get a 'no' from us, to show that they have tried everything and to wait for a year to get him for free. For the last two years, Real Madrid have been behaving like this, it is not correct, illegal even because they contacted the player.

"They want us to reject to show to Kylian that they tried everything and to start negotiating for next year."

He added that PSG have made Mbappe two "significant offers" to stay and that Real's first offer was "very far" from what the club believes Mbappe is worth.

While PSG would likely prefer Mbappe to sign a contract extension,  ESPN's Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez reported Tuesday that the 22-year-old star has "made it clear" he has no intention of signing a new deal.

Mbappe is arguably the best young player in the world and is into his fifth season at PSG after starting his professional career with Monaco.

The Frenchman has one goal through three Ligue 1 matches this season after scoring 30 or more goals across all competitions in each of the previous three seasons.

Last season was Mbappe's best, as he scored 42 goals in all competitions in 47 matches, including 27 goals in 31 Ligue 1 matches.

Mbappe has twice been named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, and he won the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player award in 2018 when France won its second World Cup title.

Prior to the 2021-22 Ligue 1 season, PSG made one of the biggest signings in its history by landing Lionel Messi on a free transfer from Barcelona.

Messi had agreed to a contract extension with Barca, but when they were unable to execute the deal due to financial issues, PSG swooped in and signed the all-time great.

PSG now boast one of the most electric attacking trios in soccer history with Messi, Mbappe and Neymar, but if PSG get an improved offer, Mbappe may not be in Paris for much longer.

Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly rejected an initial bid from Real Madrid of €160 million ($188 million) for superstar Kylian Mbappe. However, the club would consider a €200 million ($235 million) proposal if Los Blancos are willing to increase their offer.

Adam Crafton of The Athletic reported PSG's decision to decline the initial bid. L'Equipe (via AS) noted Les Parisiens are reluctant to sell this summer but may if the price is closer to $235 million. They face a difficult decision if Real Madrid improves its offer before the transfer window closes Tuesday since Mbappe's contract ends after the 2021-22 season.

Leonardo, Paris Saint-Germain's sporting director, commented on the situation Wednesday:

PSG are in a difficult position as their prior acquisition of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi gave the club the world's most high-profile attacking trio as he joined Mbappe and Neymar. It would have been intriguing to see how they could have performed over an entire term.

The Messi situation is a reminder of the dangers of keeping a player until their contract expires, though.

He became a free agent July 1 and, while there was an expectation he'd re-sign with Barca, the La Liga club couldn't satisfy La Liga's financial regulations to get his new contract verified. In turn, he headed for the Parc des Princes on a free transfer.

Paris Saint-Germain don't want to see Mbappe walk away next summer without getting any compensation in return, so a transfer before the summer window closes Tuesday or during the winter window is the safest option for the Ligue 1 side.

While that could change if the 22-year-old France international reverses course and shows a willingness to sign a contract extension, that hasn't happened yet.

ESPN's Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez reported Tuesday that Mbappe has "made it clear" he isn't planning to re-sign with the club.

The forward, who's scored 133 goals in 174 appearances across all competitions for PSG, would be a major loss, but the arrival of Messi would help soften the blow in the short term.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid has overcome financial concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic with conservative spending in recent years, which puts Los Blancos in "position to make an appropriate offer" for Mbappe, per Laurens and Faez.

Now, the only question is whether there's enough time for the clubs to hammer out the transfer details before the window closes Tuesday.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta shed light on the club's financial woes Monday, saying its debt stood at €1.35 billion, which played a role in Lionel Messi's recent departure for Paris Saint-Germain after his new contract with Barca couldn't be finalized.

ESPN FC's Alex Kirkland noted Laporta, who returned to the presidential role in March after holding the position from 2003 through 2010, blamed predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu for the issues.

"Bartomeu was plugging holes in the short term and mortgaging the club in the long term," Laporta said. "That leaves us a dramatic inheritance. To the initial debt of €617 million you have to add €389 million on players, €90 million in litigation, €79 million in advance television rights and €56 million from the Espai Barca project. In total, it's €1.35 billion."

Messi, who became a free agent July 1 after his contract expired, was widely expected to sign a new five-year deal with Barcelona before the club suddenly announced Aug. 5 it wouldn't be able to retain him because of La Liga's "regulations on player registration."

The Blaugrana face a "strict" salary cap imposed by the Spanish top-flight league that also required Gerard Pique to accept a wage cut in order to sign transfers Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia, per Kirkland.

Bartomeu wrote an open letter last week (via Marca's Ramiro Aldunate) saying the "inaction" by the club's board of directors since Laporta returned to the presidency is the reason for the financial state:

If [Laporta's] Board had approved the [Barcelona Corporate] project, it would have meant a capital injection of at least €220 million with the aim of reducing the income losses caused by COVID...which in 2020-21 could be €375 million.

If to those €220 million we had added the necessary 20 percent salary reduction (€90 million) from the players' contracts, essential from March 21, 2021, when the worst expectations were confirmed, the salary ratio dictated by La Liga would have been complied with, allowing for players to be registered.

Laporta argued the letter was "full of lies," per Kirkland, and said the trickle-down effect of Neymar's transfer to PSG in August 2017 was the source of the problems.

"They spent the €220 million from the Neymar deal disproportionately and at light speed. That is when the salaries shot up," he said. "We'll have to change the model and invest in [Barcelona's academy] La Masia, making more proportionate investments with more sporting logic."

Messi signed a two-year contract with an option for a third year with PSG that includes an annual salary of €30-35 million, according to ESPN's Julien Laurens.

The French side hasn't announced when he'll make his club debut. Les Parisiens, who opened the Ligue 1 term with back-to-back wins over Troyes and Strasbourg, next play Friday at Brest.

Meanwhile, Barcelona opened the post-Messi era Sunday with a 4-2 victory over Real Sociedad.

Barcelona didn't miss Lionel Messi in its first match of the 2021-22 La Liga season, earning a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad.

Martin Braithwaite scored two goals for the home team at Camp Nou on Sunday, matching his scoring total for all of last season. The forward then helped close things out with an assist to Sergi Roberto in extra time, sealing the win after Real Sociedad created drama with two late goals.

Even with some nervy moments in the closing minutes, it was a well-deserved victory for the Spanish giants.

The match was a start of a new era for Barcelona without Messi, who spent 17 years with the club while winning four Champions League trophies and 10 league titles. The club was unable to keep him this summer due to financial restrictions, and he signed with Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer last week.

Manager Ronald Koeman is looking to keep the club's same level of success without the superstar, and the first competitive match represented a good start.

Barcelona mostly controlled the action from the opening kickoff, finishing with 62 percent possession while getting eight shots on goal compared to just three from Real Sociedad.

After some close chances early, Gerard Pique was the first on the scoresheet with a header off a set piece:

Just before halftime, Frenkie de Jong set up Braithwaite for another Barcelona goal:

Even without Messi, Barca showed its talent with sharp passing and an attacking mindset.

The 2-0 lead at halftime was well-earned with nearly everyone on the pitch playing well:

New addition Memphis Depay did well in his attempt to fill in at striker. He assisted Pique on the free-kick and caused a lot of problems for Real Sociedad while beating defenders and drawing fouls. Even if he didn't score, the transfer from Lyon made his presence felt and showcased his upside heading into the season.

In the 59th minute, Braithwaite came through again to earn his brace on a rebound following a shot by Jordi Alba.

The final goal came on a counterattack as Braithwaite crossed to Roberto for an easy tap-in in the 91st minute.

This helped ease some concerns from the home supporters, who saw a 3-0 lead almost evaporate with two quick goals by Real Sociedad. Neto was barely challenged in net until Julen Lobete fired one past him in the 82nd minute.

The visitors then cut the margin again in the 85th minute on an excellent free kick by Mikel Oyarzabal:

It simply wasn't enough for the underdogs to get a result in the opening match of the league season.

Barcelona will be on the road next match against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Real Sociedad will host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. 

Barcelona club legend Lionel Messi gave a tearful press conference Sunday, saying he is not ready to leave Camp Nou.

"The truth is I don't know what to say," Messi told reporters. "In these last few days, I have been thinking, giving lots of thought to what I would say. The truth is that I can't think of anything. This is really difficult for me after so many years, being here my entire life. I'm not ready for this."

He added, "I hope I can come back and be part of this club in any way, to help this club be the best in the world."

His comments come after Barcelona released a statement Thursday saying it couldn't finalize a new contract with him because of "financial and structural obstacles" related to La Liga's financial regulations:

"As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled. FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life."

Messi became a free agent July 1 with the conclusion of his previous contract. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner agreed to a new deal with Barca in mid-July that included a "significant wage reduction," per ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens. It couldn't immediately be registered with La Liga, though.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta noted at the start of Messi's foray into free agency the club would need to work through some financial logistics to get the deal officially on its books.

"I know that Leo wants to stay. Talks have been going well, and we are making every effort to ensure that he stays," Laporta said on El Transistor (via AS). "We have to fit in with Financial Fair Play rules. There are a lot of alternatives, and we are studying all of them."

Messi seemed content letting the club work through the behind-the-scenes issues as he won the 2021 Copa America title with Argentina on July 10 and then went on holiday ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Instead, Barca made the shock announcement that his decorated tenure with the club is over. Messi admitted signing with Paris Saint-Germain is a possibility but said nothing is finalized.

"That is one possibility [PSG]. There's nothing closed at the moment, but we're talking about a lot of things. After Barca's statement, a lot of clubs showed an interest. But nothing final, although there are talks, of course," Messi said.

However, ESPN's Sam Marsden and Julien Laurens later reported Messi agreed to a two-year contract with PSG, which could become official later this week.

Marsden and Laurens added, "Sources added that Messi is expected to travel to Paris on Sunday before completing a medical in the coming days and signing a two-year deal with the option for a third season. He could be presented at an event at the Eiffel Tower in the coming days."

The never-finalized contract with Barca had represented a change of heart for the 34-year-old forward, who appeared to have one foot out of Camp Nou last year before a disputed contract clause led him to stay.

Last September, he told Goal's Ruben Uria that previous Barca President Josep Maria Bartomeu decided to enforce a €700 million release clause that made a move "impossible."

"I thought and was sure that I was free to leave. The president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not," Messi said. "Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for La Liga in the middle of this awful coronavirus."

Laporta, who previously served as president from 2003 through 2010 during Messi's early years with the club, was elected back to the role in March and salvaged the relationship with the Argentine superstar, but the team couldn't work through the financial issues to re-sign him.

Messi arrived at Barcelona's famed La Masia youth academy in early 2001 and made his first-team debut in a 2003 friendly.

He proceeded to score 672 goals in 778 appearances across all official competitions for the Blaugrana while leading them to 10 La Liga championships, four Champions League titles and numerous other trophies during his two-decade tenure.

Paris Saint-Germain reportedly "feel a deal is close" with longtime Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi after initial conversations about a potential three-year contract.

ESPN's Julien Laurens reported Friday further negotiations between PSG and Messi's father Jorge, who also serves as the six-time Ballon d'Or winner's agent, are planned for no later than Monday.

Barcelona announced Thursday they wouldn't be able to re-sign Messi because of La Liga's "regulations on player registration," a sudden turn of events after it was reported in mid-July the sides reached an agreement on a new five-year deal to keep him at Camp Nou.

The 34-year-old Argentine heading to PSG could have a trickle-down effect.

His arrival would "increase the likelihood" Kylian Mbappe signs a new long-term contract with the Parisians before his current deal expires next summer and would bring an end to the club's pursuit of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, per Laurens.

Messi would also reunite with Neymar after spending four seasons together as teammates with Barca from 2013 through 2017.

In February 2020, the Barcelona legend told Mundo Deportivo (via ESPN) he was hopeful the Brazilian forward would eventually return to the Spanish club.

"Neymar has always been a top-level player and different to the rest," Messi said. "He is unpredictable, he takes players on and he scores lots of goals. On a sporting level Neymar is one of the best in the world and I'd love for him to come back."

While the reunion never happened at Camp Nou, it sounds possible it will occur at the Parc des Princes.

Although there was little in the way of rumors about Messi leaving Barcelona following the reports about the five-year deal, PSG kept tabs throughout the process and have been in contact with Jorge Messi for "some time," per Laurens.

Since there are a limited number of clubs with the financial flexibility to add a player of Messi's caliber, PSG may not face a ton of competition despite the fact he'd help pretty much any attack in Europe.

Messi recorded 30 goals and nine assists across 35 La Liga appearances for Barca last season. He tallied 672 goals in all competitions across 17 years with the Blaugrana.

Paris Saint-German manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Friday that PSG is interested in signing former Barcelona star Lionel Messi, and reports suggest the two sides are nearing an agreement entering the weekend. 

According to ESPN's Julien Laurens, Pochettino said: "Of course [signing Messi] is a possibility. The club is working on it and if there is any information we will communicate it as soon as possible."

Laurens noted that sources said PSG reached out to Messi on Thursday after Barca announced it would be unable to re-sign him because of financial issues.

Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden of ESPN reported in July that Messi and Barcelona agreed to a new five-year contract after he became a free agent.

While both sides wanted to get a deal done, Barca didn't have the financial flexibility needed to make it happen, meaning the 34-year-old legend will play elsewhere next season for the first time in his professional career.

Messi has always played under the Barcelona umbrella, as he was part of Barcelona C and Barcelona B before getting called up to the first team in 2004.

The Argentina native is unquestionably one of the greatest players of all time with 672 goals and 305 assists in 778 matches across all competitions for Barca.

Messi also won 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions League titles in addition to being a six-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d'Or as the world's best player.

Given his high-profile status, Laurens noted that PSG owner Tamim bin Hamad is "eager" to sign Messi. Bin Hamad has reportedly wanted either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on the team since purchasing PSG in 2011.

PSG's renewed interest in Messi comes as little surprise since it was reported last summer that PSG and Manchester City were among the top suitors for Messi after he informed Barcelona he no longer wanted to play for the club.

Messi and Barcelona ultimately worked things out, but he is once again on the market, and signing him would make sense for Paris Saint-Germain on multiple fronts.

Laurens reported that signing Messi would likely convince rising star Kylian Mbappe to re-sign with the club before he becomes a free agent next summer.

Also, on the heels of finishing second to Lille in the Ligue 1 standings last season, PSG could use a talent infusion.

With Messi in the fold, PSG would be favored to return to the top of Ligue 1, and they would be major threats to win their first Champions League title as well after finishing as runners-up in 2020.

Lionel Messi officially won't return to Barcelona, the club announced Thursday:

"Despite having reached an agreement between FC Barcelona and Leo Messi and with the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, it cannot be formalized due to economic and structural obstacles (Spanish LaLiga regulations)," the club said in a statement.

The club also released a tribute video to its departing legend: 

Spanish newspaper Marca initially reported talks had broken off Thursday:

Catalan radio station RAC1 (h/t Collin Millar of the Mirror) later reported Messi is "more out of Barca than ever" and he "does not like the current squad." 

Messi was a free agent this offseason after his contract with Barcelona had expired, but the two sides had reportedly agreed to a five-year extension in July featuring a significant wage reduction for the player, per Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens of ESPN.

The deal was never signed, however, as Barcelona struggled to fit the contract within its wage limit for 2021-22.

La Liga received an injection of €2.7 billion Wednesday in a deal with CVC Capital Partners, 90 percent of which will go directly to the clubs.

It was expected the additional funds would indirectly help Barcelona with its high salaries, per Llorens and Marsden. However, the club has been unable to offload high-priced players like Antoine Griezmann.

The team also made several key additions in the offseason, including Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia. While they may have been signed as free agents, each player's salary needs to be accounted for. 

Aguero and Messi have played together for Argentina and were both on the squad that won the Copa America this summer, earning Messi his first major international trophy.

Though Barcelona finished last year just third in La Liga, these additions were expected to help boost the club heading into 2021-22 and convince Messi to remain with the organization.

The 34-year-old will instead leave after 17 years with the first team, featuring 10 La Liga titles and six Ballon d'Or awards. He made his first senior appearance as a 17-year-old in 2004-05 and went on to be named to the UEFA Team of the Year 11 different times.

There will be no shortage of clubs interested in the superstar, especially after scoring 30 goals in 35 league matches last season. Both Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly "keeping a close eye" on the situation, according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Freddie Pye of Sports Illustrated).

A move to Manchester City would allow Messi to rejoin manager Pep Guardiola, who coached Barcelona to two Champions League titles during his run from 2008-12. The Premier League squad lost in the UCL final last season and could use Messi to help get over the top.

PSG reached the Champions League finals two years ago and lost in the semifinals last year, but Messi could create an exciting attack with Kylian Mbappe and former Barcelona teammate Neymar.