"It's strange being here and not seeing him" - Dani Alves urges PSG superstar Lionel Messi to finish his career at Barcelona
Brazilian right-back Dani Alves has urged Lionel Messi to return to Barcelona to finish his career. The Argentine forward left the Spanish club after the expiration of his contract last summer and joined French giants PSG on a free transfer.
Messi has been unable to reach the heights expected of him during his time with PSG. The 34-year-old has managed to score just one goal in 11 Ligue 1 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Barcelona, on the other hand, have been in turmoil since Lionel Messi's departure. The club are currently languishing in sixth place in the La Liga table and were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages. Messi's former Barcelona teammate Dani Alves has urged the forward to return to Camp Nou.
Alves said as per Sport.
"Messi's the best player in the history of football. It's strange being here and not seeing him, not having him in the band. Sometimes things don't happen as we dream. I already told you, you're not going to be anywhere better here. The same thing he told me when I left. It would be great if Messi finished his career here."
Lionel Messi spent seventeen seasons with Barcelona as a member of the club's first team. He made 778 appearances for the club in all competitions and scored 672 goals. Messi helped the club win ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and three UEFA Champions League titles during his time at the Nou Camp.
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Dani Alves spent eight years at Barcelona with Lionel Messi during his first stint with the club. The duo won six La Liga titles, four Copa del Rey titles, and three Champions League titles during their time together.
Alves rejoined Barcelona in November of 2021, signing a contract that will keep him at the club until the end of the season.
Barcelona could try to re-sign Lionel Messi if they sell some of the club's highest earners
Barcelona have managed to send Miralem Pjanic on loan to Besiktas for the 2021-22 campaign and Philippe Coutinho on loan to Aston Villa for the second half of the season. The Catalan giants have managed to reduce their wage bill and create space in the squad for new arrivals.
The Catalan giants are likely to attempt to sell Coutinho and Pjanic permanently next summer. Meanwhile, Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele is yet to sign a new contract with the club and has been courted by a number of Europe's top sides.
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The club are also bracing themselves for the potential departures of Martin Braithwaite and Luuk de Jong next summer. The duo have struggled to make an impact at Barcelona since joining the club from Leganes and Sevilla, respectively.
The potential departures of Pjanic, Coutinho, Dembele, Braithwaite, and De Jong next summer could help Barcelona raise the funds they require to sign Lionel Messi.