When will Lionel Messi decide upon Barcelona future?
Suraj Radia
- 28 Jul 2022 18:15 BST
- 3 min read
Lionel Messi’s story at Barcelona could be far from over, with reports suggesting that he could be set for a dramatic return to the club next summer.
The Argentine’s contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires in 2023 and the French side are keen to renew for a further year although Messi is not thinking of his future for the time being.
Speaking exclusively to FootballTransfers, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs asserted his understanding that Messi is focused on the World Cup in December and will not entertain offers until after the tournament.
Messi is thought to be open to staying at PSG as well as moving back to Barcelona but will likely make a decision next year after assessing his fitness and priorities.
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Will Messi return for ‘a more beautiful ending’ with Barcelona?
Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently admitted his belief that Messi’s chapter at the club was ‘not over’ and was regretful at the abrupt manner in which the forward left for PSG last year.
Laporta has been vocal over his desire to sign Barcelona’s priority targets this summer and Messi appears to be no exception, despite the financial turmoil surrounding the club.
The Catalan side’s long-reported issues have only temporarily been dealt with through a series of ‘economic levers’ and the club will certainly be operating through narrow parameters in the coming years.
"Xavi and Messi have a great relationship and have been in conversations"@jacobsben explains the latest on Messi returning to Barcelona 👀 pic.twitter.com/tgT6vwcIoc
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) July 28, 2022
In spite of their financial disarray, Barcelona have not stopped dreaming and have manoeuvred the situation in a way that has allowed them to spend more than €100 million on the likes of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde.
However, while Barcelona would naturally want to see their club legend return for a ‘more beautiful ending’, as Laporta put it, the reality is that they may simply struggle to pull it off financially.
While Messi still communicates with former teammate and current Barca boss Xavi, he would likely need to take a significant pay cut to re-join his old side.
Ultimately the future is currently unwritten for Messi and won’t be resolved until next year at the earliest but it is clear that Laporta and Barcelona will do everything they can to turn their dreams into reality for a fairy tale reunion.
