Transfer Centre

Barcelona 'making plans to facilitate Lionel Messi return'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 25 September 2022

Barcelona president Joan Laporta reportedly puts plans into motion for the club to welcome back Lionel Messi in a playing or non-playing capacity.

Barcelona reportedly have a number of plans in place to welcome Lionel Messi back to the club in a playing or non-playing capacity.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner gave a tearful farewell to La Blaugrana in 2021, as Barca's financial situation made it impossible for Messi to stay at the club.

Messi had supposedly agreed to a 50% pay cut to increase his chances of signing a new deal at Barcelona, but the Argentine ultimately ended his stint in Catalonia.

The attacker's move to Paris Saint-Germain marked the end of a 21-year era where Messi came up with 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 matches for Barcelona since joining La Masia from Newell's Old Boys.

Messi won no fewer than 36 major honours during his illustrious spell at Camp Nou, but he failed to reach the same goalscoring heights during his debut season in Ligue 1.

Lionel Messi in action for Argentina on September 23, 2022 © Reuters

Messi did come up with 11 goals and 15 assists from 34 matches under Mauricio Pochettino last term, and he has started the 2022-23 campaign in strong form with six goals and eight assists from 11 matches.

With Barcelona slowly alleviating their economic crisis, the 35-year-old has often been tipped to head back to Catalonia, and his deal at PSG only runs until 2023 with the option of a further year.

According to Marca, Barcelona are indeed keen to reunite with Messi, and president Joan Laporta is putting plans in place to make a move feasible as a matter of priority.

One way to 'repair the relationship' between club and player would reportedly be to make Messi a worldwide club ambassador, as well as organising a wide-scale tribute to the South American for his achievements.

Such a move would not see Messi return in a playing capacity, although the report adds that the option has not been ruled out, with Xavi particularly keen to see the Argentine don the Catalan colours again.

Lionel Messi in action for PSG on July 31, 2022 © Reuters

However, bringing Messi back to Camp Nou as a player would require an 'enormous' financial commitment, but the attacker still owns a house in Barcelona and has never closed the door on a return.

Furthermore, if Messi was to re-sign for Barcelona as a player, he would have to take a major hit on the wages that he currently pockets in Paris, although the report claims that he would be willing to do so.

Failing that, the Argentine could potentially move into an upstairs role as the club's technical secretary, and Barcelona want to make sure that any new position accurately reflects his on-field achievements for the club.

Messi now has a total of 17 goals and 23 assists in 45 appearances for PSG in all competitions, and he bagged a brace in Argentina's 3-0 friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.