“Messi can’t be at Barcelona or PSG next season” – La Liga president makes emphatic claim about Lionel Messi’s future
La Liga president Javier Tebas has said that PSG attacker Lionel Messi cannot be at Barcelona next season unless the club's financial situation changes drastically.
The Argentina icon's contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the season, with fresh terms yet to be agreed upon. A return to Barca two years after leaving the club for Paris has been touted.
While the 35-year-old could arrive at the Camp Nou as a free agent, he's likely to command a huge wage. Messi is pocketing €34 million in wages this season at the Parc des Princes.
Tebas claimed in January that Barcelona need to reduce their wage bill by around €400-600 million to be able to register new players or contracts. He has now handed a reality check to the optimistic Barca faithful with regard to a possible return for Messi.
Tebas was recently quoted as saying, via Mundo Deportivo (h/t BarcaUniversal):
"Many things have to change for Leo Messi’s return to Barcelona. First off, he has to drastically lower his salary; the club must offload players and other things that they are yet to do. They are the only ones who can do it. We will not change the rules.
He added:
"Messi can’t be at Barcelona or PSG next season. In fact, PSG earn less money than Barcelona."
Reports have claimed that the Blaugrana are open to offloading key first-team players Ansu Fati and Raphinha to fund Messi's potential return. They're also said to be open to letting the Argentine playmaker earn a percentage of what he could help the club earn in the future.
PSG, meanwhile, are facing potential financial insecurity themselves. The club have put contract renewal talks with Messi and Sergio Ramos on hold due to fears of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
Sergio Aguero says PSG's Lionel Messi could return to Barcelona
Lionel Messi's former Argentine national team teammate Sergio Aguero has said that there's a 50% chance that the PSG playmaker could return to Barcelona.
The Argentine duo share a very close relationship and were spotted celebrating the 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph together on and off the pitch in Qatar. Speaking to TyC Sports in a recent interview, the retired Aguero said (h/t Indian Express):
"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."
Aguero left Manchester City to join Barca in June 2021 as a free agent. However, he never got to play alongside Messi, who joined PSG the next month.