Messi almost certain to re-join Barcelona
FT Desk
- Updated: 31 Jul 2022 21:44 BST
- 3 min read
Lionel Messi is almost certain to re-join Barcelona in 2023, according to Catalunya Radio.
The national radio station of Catalunya report on Sunday that both Barcelona president Joan Laporta and coach Xavi are in agreement about bringing Messi back to Camp Nou.
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Messi himself also wants to return to Barcelona on a free transfer when his contract at PSG expires at the end of the 2022-23 season.
The one big question mark will be Messi’s salary but with Barcelona’s finances improving as they sell off up to 25 per cent of their tv rights for the next 25 years, a deal is more than possible.
Messi completed a shock Free Transfer to PSG last summer after he was unable to sign a new contract with Barcelona.
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The Argentine legend broke virtually every record during over 20 years at Camp Nou, scoring an incredible 672 goals in 778 games.
But Barcelona were unable to sign him to a new deal – mainly for financial reasons - leading to an infamous farewell press conference in which Messi broke down and cried.
Ever since, Messi has been repeatedly linked with a return to Barcelona and both Laporta and Xavi have done little to play down talk of a return.
What did Laporta say?
"Messi has been everything, for Barça he has possibly been the best player in history, the most efficient, only comparable to Johan Cruyff in the history of Barça," Laporta told ESPN.
"But it had to happen one day, we had to make a decision as a consequence of the legacy [financial trouble] we had received [from predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu].
"The institution is above players and coaches, but I think, I wish, that the Messi chapter is not over yet at Barça and I think our responsibility is to ensure that this open chapter, which has not yet been closed, has a good moment in which it can be done as it should have been done and, in addition, has a much more splendid ending than it had.
"As the president of Barça, I think I did what I had to do. But on a personal level and also as president, I think I owe him."
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Messi endured a difficult first season in Paris, scoring just four Ligue 1 goals all campaign and performing poorly as PSG were dumped out of the Champions League – capitulating from 2-0 up on aggregate to lose 3-2 to Real Madrid in the last-16.
