5th June 2023 – (Barcelona) Jorge Messi, the father of Lionel Messi, confirmed on Monday that his son wants to return to FC Barcelona for the upcoming season. He made a brief declaration to the press while in Barcelona to meet with Barca president Joan Laporta regarding Lionel’s possible move back to the club he left two years ago to join Paris Saint-Germain.
According to Jorge Messi, “It’s an option: Am I confident he can return? Yes.” This statement follows recent remarks from Barca coach Xavi Hernandez, who said he would be delighted to welcome the 35-year-old back to the club.
The main challenge for FC Barcelona is whether they can fit Messi into the wage ceiling imposed on the club by the Spanish Football League (La Liga). Barcelona has presented a viability plan to La Liga, which is likely to be accepted soon, but there are still doubts over whether they can afford Messi, or whether recent declarations are just posturing to deflect blame if the FIFA World Cup winner does not return.
Barca has been given more flexibility by the departure of veterans Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at the end of this season, but they will likely have to move players on before making any further acquisitions. Athletic Club Bilbao’s central defender Inigo Martinez is expected to be announced as a new signing for next season.
The return of Messi to Barcelona would be a significant boost for the team, which has struggled to maintain its dominance in recent years. Messi is widely regarded as one of the best football players of all time, having won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.