MADRID — Barcelona has not given up hope of seeing Lionel Messi returning to the membership regardless of growing hypothesis a couple of pending transfer to Saudi Arabia, and his father mentioned Monday that his son prefers to return to the Catalan membership.
Jorge Messi was in Barcelona and briefly answered questions from reporters after reportedly assembly with membership president Joan Laporta.
The participant’s father sidestepped most questions however acknowledged that Messi “would like to return” to the membership the place he spent most of his profession. When requested if he believed his son may very well be again, he mentioned “yes.”
“It depends on lots of things. I don’t know anything,” he mentioned. “We’ll see what happens.”
Barcelona has continued to restructure its funds to verify it may afford Messi’s return in case the Argentina star decides to return again to the Spanish league after his stint with Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG introduced this previous weekend that Messi is not going to keep on the membership for one more season, and the participant was reportedly mulling profitable affords from Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and Inter Miami within the United States.
Barcelona was all the time an choice because it’s the membership the place he grew up and thrived for practically twenty years earlier than leaving to affix PSG in 2021 amid the Catalan membership’s monetary struggles.
Barcelona’s funds are in higher form now, however including Messi to the squad would make it harder for the membership to fulfill the Spanish league’s strict monetary honest play guidelines.
“It’s not easy, but we’ll see,” Laporta mentioned this weekend.
The membership was working with the league to verify it might get an sufficient wage cap permitted forward of the brand new season. It nonetheless has so as to add some gamers who have been registered with the youth squads, together with playmaker Gavi, however it gained some essential wage cap house with the departure of veterans corresponding to Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
“I would really like to have Leo back. He knows it, I’ve spoken to him,” Barcelona coach Xavi mentioned. “It would be spectacular, not only for me as a coach, but as a fan as well. He is a spectacular player who could help us in so many different areas. But it’s his decision and I will understand it no matter what happens.”
Laporta has mentioned the membership would do the whole lot attainable to attempt to deliver Messi again.
After not with the ability to maintain the playmaker and seeing the staff battle, Laporta and his board needed to take motion and offered off 25% of the membership’s Spanish league TV rights for the subsequent 25 years, together with different property. The money was used to revamp the squad with the signings of gamers corresponding to Robert Lewandowski, Jules Koundé and Raphinha. The staff gained the league title this season for the primary time since 2019, however it nonetheless struggled within the Champions League and the Europa League.
The staff’s first title since Messi’s departure had been the Spanish Super Cup in January, when it defeated rival Real Madrid within the closing in Saudi Arabia.
The 35-year-old Messi left Barcelona after 17 profitable seasons during which he helped the Catalan membership win 35 titles, together with 4 Champions Leagues, 10 Spanish leagues and 7 Copa del Reys.
While with Barcelona, Messi earned himself a report six Ballon d’Or awards because the world’s high participant. He stays the staff’s all-time scorer with 672 objectives in 778 appearances, and the highest scorer within the Spanish league with 474 objectives in 520 matches.
Messi was the highest scorer within the Spanish league in eight seasons, and the highest scorer within the Champions League on six events. His 26 objectives towards Real Madrid are a report for the “clasico” matches towards Barcelona’s fiercest rival.
Messi arrived at Barcelona at age 13, when he and his household got here to Spain to strive his luck at Barcelona’s youth academy. He made his official debut on Oct. 16, 2004, and two years later helped the membership win its first Champions League title in a squad led by Ronaldinho.
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