Barcelona president Joan Laporta says the door is always open for Lionel Messi amid a potential summer return for their former talisman.
It comes after Sergio Aguero said he believes there’s a ’50 per cent’ chance his former Argentina teammate will re-sign for his former club.
And Laporta then admitted there is interest in bringing Messi back to the Nou Camp, if a deal can be reached.
‘I have to find a way to improve Messi’s current relationship with Barca’, he told Marca. ‘We’ll see, but he knows Barca’s door is always open to him.
‘Messi is the best player in the history of football. He has been the most important player in the history of Barca.
Lionel Messi scored 672 goals in 778 games in a 21-year association with Barcelona
‘But, I have to be very careful with what I say, because he is a PSG player, and I have to have respect that.’
Messi ended his 21-year association with Barcelona in 2021, moving to Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal amid Barca’s financial difficulties.
That deal comes to end this summer, and there is growing belief that Messi won’t extend his stay in Paris, meaning the World Cup winner will a free agent at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old has been heavily linked with moves to the MLS and David Beckham’s Inter Miami, as well as joining Cristiano Ronaldo by signing a lucrative deal to play in Saudi Arabia.
However, close friend Aguero has stated that he thinks Messi would find the temptation to return to the Nou Camp too hard to resist.
Speaking to TyC Sports the former Manchester City striker said: ‘I think Leo Messi should retire at Barca.
Barcelona is his home and he should finish his career there. My feeling is that there is a 50 per cent chance that he will return.’
Laporta has made no secret of his desire to bring the club legend back to Spain, but any potential emotional return would be impacted by the Spanish giant’s continued financial struggles.
A return is something certainly favoured by his former teammates, with Sergi Roberto urging Messi to comeback to the Barca following the treatment he received after PSG’s Champions League exit to Bayern Munich earlier this month.
While Sergio Busquests has put his future on hold, while he waits for news from the Argentine legend before committing to another year at the Catalan club.
Messi has enjoyed a fruitful second season in the French capital, scoring 18 times in 31 games for the Ligue 1 leaders as they close in on another title triumph.
Messi said an emotional goodbye to Barcelona in 2021 as the club faced financial difficulties
Messi’s contract expires at the end of the season and is set to leave the French capital
However, he has faced some backlash from fans after the club once again failed to turn their league domination into Champions League success.
PSG are still hopeful of persuading Messi to stay for one more season at the club, and there were signs after the World Cup that a deal was close to being sorted between the club and player.
It now seems, however, that the Argentinian captain will be on the move this summer, with reports last week stating that Saudi side Al-Hilai are ready to offer Messi a £172million-a-year agreement for his services.
Aguero’s prediction isn’t the first time Messi’s close pal has spoken about his friend’s next destination. Last month, Aguero claimed that Messi was interested in going back home to sign for first club Newells Old Boys.
SRC: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
