Revealed: Zanetti spoke to Messi over possibility of joining Inter Milan after Barcelona exit
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi could have been playing at the San Siro if Inter Milan vice president Javier Zanetti had his way after the Argentinean superstar's exit from Barcelona.
FollowLegendary striker Lionel Messi, who lifted Argentina's third World Cup glory in Qatar last December, continues to hit the headline regarding his future at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). According to the club's Sports Advisor, Luis Campos, talks of a contract extension between the French giants and the 35-year-old legend is ongoing, with the player's current contract ending in June 2023.
Amidst this, Inter Milan's Vice President Javier Zanetti has revealed that Messi could have been playing for San Siro after his Barcelona exit if things had gone the former Argentina player's way.
Zanetti, who clicked a famous selfie with Messi and his family after the Argentina captain lifted the Qatar World Cup 2022 trophy, appeared on DAZN's "Supertele" to talk about the 35-year-old's enquiries from the squad following his exit from FC Barcelona.
When it became clear that Messi would leave the Spanish club, Zanetti depended on their strong friendship to try and convince the Argentinean legend to come to Italy. Zanetti recognised one significant obstacle, even if he probably would have preferred to see his countryman join the Serie A team.
"We spoke to Messi because of the relationship we have when there was this possibility that he would leave Barcelona," Zanetti said.
"I would never have imagined his farewell to Barcelona. But we cannot realistically compete, from an economic point of view, with teams like City or Paris Saint Germain," Inter Milan's vice president added.
After leaving Camp Nou with tears in his eyes, Messi would finally sign a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain. Unfortunately, the former Barcelona star's first year in the French city didn't go as anticipated because of his struggles.
However, the Argentine has demonstrated he can still play at a high level in his second season, leading to a second season with at least 10 goals and 10 assists. Messi also exploited his strong start to his second campaign in Paris to propel him to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title.
