Messi snubs Barcelona President in blow to transfer hopes

Karan Tejwani

29 Oct 2022 19:00 BST
3 min read

Lionel Messi continues to be linked with a move back to Barcelona in the new year, but the club have suffered a blow in their hopes of signing the player.

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Messi signed for Paris Saint-Germain back in 2021 after leaving Barcelona following the expiry of his contract, and he signed a two-year deal which runs out at the end of the current campaign.

There have been reports suggesting Barcelona would like to bring him back, while PSG want to keep him in their side and continue with their super attack of him, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

READ: Should Barcelona really re-sign Lionel Messi?

Messi has apparently made it clear that he will decide his future after the World Cup in Qatar this winter, but Barcelona have a problem to contend with.

Barcelona suffer Messi blow

Barcelona planned to open talks with him when club President Joan Laporta went to Paris for the Ballon d’Or ceremony earlier in the month.

According to Sport, Messi has been ignoring phone calls from a representative close to Laporta and the possibility of a meeting was ruled out when the President visited Paris.

READ: Revealed: The two Premier League teams trying to sign Lionel Messi

Messi has a contract offer on the table from PSG but has no intention of announcing his future before the end of his World Cup campaign.

Barcelona are going through a few troubles of their own following their Champions League exit, which is set to extend their financial problems.

Another week, another Messi worldie! 🔥

He's something else right now 🐐 pic.twitter.com/TX4K2owLnJ
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 29, 2022

Messi left Barcelona on sour terms as he felt he was misled into believing he could extend his contract, before departing the club in 2021.

Despite that, Laporta and Barcelona have made the return of Messi their top priority for the summer transfer window next year and are positive that it can happen.

The fans, however, are split, with some believing it would cost too much money and they would be better of reinvesting the money elsewhere.