Lionel Messi’s move to Barcelona has been edging closer as Barcelona have green light for their financial feasibility plan for the summer transfer window. The club will be looking to kickstart their transfers soon, with Leo being the priority.
As of now, the negotiations are not advanced even though Messi has prioritised a return to Barcelona as his priority. The Catalans are yet to field a formal offer for the player, but there is good news, either way.
According to news by Gerard Romero, Lionel Messi’s wife is the one pushing for a move to Barcelona. One of their children has ‘suffered’ a lot during their time in Paris, so the family wants to move back to Catalonia, where all three children were born and raised.
Messi’s father and agent, Jorge Messi, has already started talks with Barcelona, and was seen visiting Joan Laporta at his house. Later on, while leaving, he was stopped and quizzed by the media about Leo’s future.
“Messi wants to return to Barcelona, and I would love for him to return. It’s an option,” he said. He also said ‘yes’ when he asked about whether he was confident about the operation being completed this summer.
While no official offer has been tabled yet, Barcelona are working on ‘creative’ solutions with Messi’s entourage.
Xavi and the club are very optimistic about the return, and have publicly claimed that everything will depend on Messi.
“The priorities are very clear. I would really like Messi to return, I have spoken with him, and I have already said that it depends on him. From here, apart from Leo, the other priority is a pivot. That would be the ideal scenario,” he said.
“I’m not responsible for the financial issue. I only know that Messi would help us a lot in terms of football.”
He is expected to be the highest-paid player on the team, earning €1 more than Robert Lewandowski, on a one-plus-one deal. Jorge Messi is also in communications with La Liga as he is concerned about Barcelona’s financial situation.
Messi halts negotiations with Al-Hilal until 2024
Barcelona’s main competition for Lionel Messi’s signing were Saudi Arabian giants Al-Hilal and David Beckham-owned MLS side Inter Miami. However, it seems both of them will eventually fall out, in favour of Barça.
According to a report by GOAL Espana, Messi has asked his entourage to halt all negotiations with Al-Hilal and postpone talks until next year. He will make his decision to move abroad next year after his initial year of the deal expires.
Messi’s entourage was very close to agreeing everything with the Saudi giants, but Leo asked to put everything on hold as his move to Barcelona gets closer. The offer from Al-Hilal was supposedly the biggest deal in football history, crossing over €500 million.
The Saudi delegation are surprised as their offer was mammoth. They have already informed Leo that their offer next year will not be the same.
