Lionel Messi wants to RETURN to Barcelona after leaving PSG

Lionel Messi is looking to sign a sensational return to Barcelona after Paris Saint-Germain announced his departure on Thursday, but the Catalan club has been locked in a battle with La Liga to see if a move is financially viable.

The Parisians confirmed that Messi will leave the winners of Ligue Un at the end of the season, with Saturday’s match against Clermont Foot marking his last appearance for them at the Parc des Princes. Messi has a concrete offer from Saudi Arabia and Inter Miami is also interested.

But the World Cup winner, 35, favors a return to Barcelona, ​​where he won 21 major trophies and six Ballon d’Ors in 17 years – even though the poor club has to sell players to meet strict financial guidelines from LaLiga.

Messi’s only concrete offer to date is from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, with the Riyadh team offering a two-year deal worth nearly £2 billion.

Spanish champions Barcelona have been at odds with La Liga over financial rules in recent years and the club, led by Messi’s former teammate Xavi, must get the green light from the league for their economic plan before signing the World Cup winner.

Messi won 21 major trophies and six Ballon d’Ors in 17 years with the Catalan giants

Barça are likely to spend more than allowed, despite the departure of captain Sergio Busquets and fellow club legend Jordi Alba.

La Liga has a ’40 percent rule’ that requires them to spend only €40 million of every €100 million they bring in. The club has used palancas – financial levers – to generate revenue over the past 12 months, such as internal demolition of the Barca TV channel and the signing of new sponsors.

If La Liga put the brakes on the Catalan club, they would offer Messi a package worth around £25 million a year, although it is not beyond him to advocate a move to Saudi Arabia.

Another club that has been mentioned is David Beckham’s Inter Miami, with French newspaper L’Equipe suggesting the Florida side could sign Messi and loan him to Barcelona, ​​but that would not be a realistic outcome for the Argentine.

Manchester City were previously interested in Messi but pulled out of a tug-of-war for his 2021 signing and won’t be tempted to rekindle that, while Newell’s Old Boys don’t have the finances to bring him to Rosario.

Messi’s children – Thiago, Mateo and Ciro – have reserved a place at a school in Castelldefels, Catalonia. Barcelona yesterday also denied reports that they would be banned from the Champions League for financial breaches.

Messi emotionally left Barcelona in 2021 after a financial wrangle with the club

Barcelona are in a battle with La Liga to see if a move is financially viable (Photo – LaLiga President Javier Tebas)

Father and agent Jorge Messi is pushing to reunite his son with Xavi and Camp Nou, but the only concrete offer has come from the Saudis and the pair will wait to see if Barcelona get the green light from La Liga to go ahead.

PSG manager Christophe Galtier confirmed yesterday that the World Cup winner will leave, saying: “I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football. Clermont Foot will be Leo’s last game in the Parc des Princes.’

Messi joined PSG after a financial tussle with Barcelona in 2021 and has won a pair of Ligue Un titles, although the Parisians have come no closer to winning the Champions League crown they covet.

After seeing Cristiano Ronaldo’s stock fall since moving to Asia, Messi would prefer to stay in elite football, with a view to a possible last dance for Argentina in their Copa America title defense to be held in the United States next summer .