Lionel Messi is set to return to Barcelona after two years away from Catalonia this summer.
That's according to Catalunya Radio, who claim that the Argentine has told current Barça manager and former team-mate Xavi that he would love to move back to the club. Prior to Xavi taking the reins, the club had to let their talismanic No.10 leave on a free transfer in 2021 after failing to meet financial regulations of La Liga needed to register the star.
Messi moved to Barcelona as a 13-year-old from South America to embark on a football career and won everything in the domestic game after rising through the ranks at La Masia. Since moving to Paris Saint-Germain, he has gone on to win a seventh Ballon d'Or and lift the World Cup with his native Argentina in Qatar last year.
There have been widespread rumours that Major League Soccer could in fact tempt the star away from Europe but with an emotional tie to Barcelona, the possibility of moving back to the Blaugrana has reportedly always appealed to Messi and his family. An extension to his deal at PSG seems unlikely, given how the club is currently in flux.
According to a report from El Nacional over a year ago, Messi's wife Antonela Roccuzzo favours a move back to Catalonia, though Messi's father Jorge is against the idea. Jorge Messi believes that Barça president Joan Laporta "betrayed" his son, after campaigning for the club presidency in 2021 on the mandate that he could keep the star at Camp Nou.
Messi has the option of triggering a third year at PSG should he choose.
