June 05, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi’s father has confirmed that the legendary footballer is eager to make a comeback to Barcelona this summer.
Messi recently announced his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, wrapping up his two-year stint in France. Although re-signing Messi has been a top priority for Barcelona, the club has been awaiting approval from La Liga regarding their financial plan. Barcelona had temporarily exceeded their salary cap, resulting in a ban on registering new players.
La Liga is expected to grant approval for Barcelona’s plans and once given the green light, the league champions will immediately commence negotiations on a new contract for Messi. The player’s father, Jorge, met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta on Monday. Following the encounter, Jorge expressed his desire for Messi to return to the club. “Messi wants to return to Barça and I would love for him to come back. It is an option,” Jorge said.
Barcelona remain confident that they will reach an agreement to bring Messi back, considering his abrupt departure in 2021 due to the club’s financial struggles. Additionally, the club plans to utilise their newfound financial freedom to finalise contract extensions for several key players. Midfielder Gavi and centre-back Ronald Araujo had agreed to long-term extensions months ago, but their registration was blocked by La Liga.
Barcelona’s recent efforts, including the departure of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, have been aimed at proving their financial viability to the league. Once negotiations with Messi conclude, registering the extensions for Gavi and Araujo will be a top priority, followed by the pursuit of other transfer targets such as Inigo Martinez from Athletic Club, as well as Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
