Barcelona ace Lionel Messi wants to join Paris St-Germain, or does he?

Argentinian football great Lionel Messi is to give a parting press conference on Sunday, as he leaves Catalan club Barcelona after 21 extraordinarily successful years. French media report that Messi has informed PSG of his desire to join the Paris club and that discussions are ongoing over a two-year deal with the option of a third season. A claim flatly denied in Spain. 

Time to say goodbye? Lionel Messi will hold a press conference in Barcelona on Sunday. Josep LAGO AFP/File

Lionel Messi will take part in a Barcelona press conference on Sunday, three days after the club announced he was leaving after 21 years. 

The 34-year-old will take questions from the press at noon, making his first public comments since his departure was announced.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Friday he was not prepared "to put the club at risk" by renewing Messi's contract, as the club face up to huge financial problems ahead of the start of La Liga on 15 August.

Laporta said Barcelona were no longer negotiating with Messi and the Argentine forward was considering other offers.

Paris Saint-Germain, who bought Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record 222 million euros in 2017, appear favourites to sign Messi according to reports in France.

Broadcaster RMC Sport reported that Messi has informed PSG of his desire to join the club and that discussions were ongoing over a two-year deal with the option of a third season.

But Barcelona-based sports daily Sport reported Saturday that Messi has received no offer from any club and no talks were underway with PSG.

Messi, Barcelona's all-time top scorer and appearance maker, had reached agreement with Barcelona to sign a five-year contract worth 50 percent less per year.

But La Liga has a salary cap, calculated on clubs' financial positions, which have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

The cap was expected to reduce the amount Barca can spend on salaries this season by some 200 million euros, leading Laporta to conclude they were unlikely to complete the deal.