Barcelona and Lionel Messi open negotiations for stunning return in 2023
According to reports, Barcelona and club superstar Lionel Messi have begun contract talks in the hopes that he would make a dramatic comeback to the team in 2023.
Catalunya Radio broke the news immediately on Sunday night after Barcelona defeated Pumas UNAM 6-0 in the Joan Gamper Trophy match.
Discussions with Messi’s agents, led by his father and agent Jorge Messi, have already begun, according to the station’s El Club de la Mitjanit program.
However, Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain contract will end in June 2023. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner does have the option, though, to extend his contract by a further 12 months.
It has been reported that Messi could be tempted to return to Barcelona and spend the last years of his stellar career at the club where he made his name.
The rumours linking Messi with a return to the Catalan club were fuelled by comments made by Laporta, who said that he owed a “moral debt” to Messi for the manner in which he departed last summer.
Laporta was speaking to CBS Sports and was quizzed about Messi’s move to PSG.
He said: “I did what I had to do in order to put the institution above the best player in history. I’ve known Messi since he was a kid, I love Leo.
“I feel a moral debt to the best player in history. I’ll do my best to make sure Messi has the best ending of his career with Barcelona.
“I would like to do it. It will not be easy but I think that with the correct strategy we could do it. We will do our best to have Messi ending his career with Barcelona.”
Laporta was also asked whether negotiations would start right away.
He replied: “This is an idea that we have. Now is not the best moment to talk about it since he is a player of PSG and he has one more year on his contract. We have to respect it.”