Gary Lineker raises huge Barcelona claim about Lionel Messi after he reportedly agrees Inter Miami transfer
Barcelona legend Gary Lineker has suggested that Lionel Messi could move to his former club on loan as he edges towards a deal with MLS side Inter Miami.
Messi, 35, is leaving Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the month. There has been a ton of speculation over where the Argentine icon will end up at.
Barcelona and Saudi giants Al Hilal appeared to be frontrunners, but it looks like Inter Miami have won the race. Reports say that Messi is heading towards the DRV PNK Stadium this summer.
Lineker responded to a tweet from Spanish journalist Guillem Balague confirming that the PSG forward will be joining Miami:
"And then loaned to Barcelona possibly?"
And then loaned to @FCBarcelona possibly? twitter.com/guillembalague…
Barca have been eager to seal Messi's return to the Camp Nou, but their financial complications have proved to be a stumbling block. They need to shed €200 million off their wage bill. However, Blaugrana president Joan Laporta, boss Xavi and striker Robert Lewandowski all talked up his potential return.
Lionel Messi's potential reunion with the Blaugrana isn't entirely out of the equation if he does move to the Herons. Reports claim that Barcelona are interested in loaning the Argentine from the MLS side if the transfer goes through.
The legendary forward stands to earn €50 million per season with Miami. That's significantly less than the €500 million Al Hilal offered the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner.
Messi has been in red-hot form this season, scoring 21 goals and providing 20 assists in 41 games across competitions. He won the Ligue 1 title in his last act as a PSG player.
Lionel Messi wanted Barcelona move, says his father
Lionel Messi's father and representative Jorge said recently that his son wanted to return to Barcelona. According to ESPN, he held a meeting with Barca president Laporta and was spotted on camera, of which he denied such an encounter.
However, Jorge did say that Messi wanted to return to Camp Nou:
"Of course, he (Messi) would love to return to Barcelona. I would like it, too. We will see."
Messi became a Blaugrana icon during his 16 seasons in Catalonia. He scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games across competitions. The Argentine icon won four Champions League and 10 La Liga titles and six Ballon d'Or awards at the club.