“It’s a very bad idea” – Ex-PSG forward explains why Lionel Messi should not be handed a new contract

Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Jerome Rothen has urged his former club not to renew Lionel Messi's contract. He believes the Argentine's salary alone will be enough to improve the squad overall.

Messi is in contract talks with PSG as his current deal expires at the end of the season. The Ligue1 side do have the option to trigger a one-year extension but are keen on having the Argentine secured for longer.

🔙🗓️ #OnThisDay

Le 1⃣er but de Leo Messi en #Ligue1 🆚 Nantes (3-1, 2021) 👏❤️💙 https://t.co/FhoFEjBzph

Speaking on RMC Sport, Rothen was adamant that Messi should not have his contract renewed at PSG. He claims that managing all three of the forwards - Kylian Mbappe and Neymar along with the Argentine – is complicated, and it should be the former Barcelona star leaving.

"Managing the three is complicated," said Rothen. "After that, there is the wage bill. And we saw that PSG is blocked with the financial fair play. Because the wage bill has exploded. There, you have the opportunity to recover a large amount of money because the salary of Messi is substantial. It can allow you to recruit and improve your squad. For all that, it's a very bad idea to extend Leo Messi."

Jerome Rothen has questioned PSG's Lionel Messi

Jerome Rothen is not a fan of Lionel Messi at PSG and has been taking shots at the Argentine for some time. He claimed that the FIFA World Cup winner had a 'disgusting year' after moving from Barcelona, and it took too long for him to adapt.

La spéciale 𝚋𝚢 Leo Messi 🤩

#𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗖𝗣𝗦𝗚 https://t.co/N1vuDvEjDo

He said told RMC Sport:

"He's had a disgusting year, at every level. It is good that he expresses himself. You can have extenuating circumstances, he comes from Barcelona, where he was from a very young age. The concern for adaptation can happen to all players. But we are talking about the best player on the football planet. It would not be understandable that the adaptation would take more than a year."

Rothen added:

"Sportingly, there is a problem of belonging to PSG, of communion with the fans, of sharing one's experience in the dressing room. When you find yourself lonely as he was, because you hear things, you see things on the ground, I feel like he was a mercenary on the ground. If you can't run, don't come to the field."

Lionel Messi scored just six goals in his debut season with PSG but has managed to score 10 this season in 18 matches.