"They are already doing their job" - Barcelona star claims club veterans are trying to convince Lionel Messi to return to La Liga club
Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres recently claimed that the Catalan club are working on securing Lionel Messi's return to the club.
The former Manchester City forward further added that veterans like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are working behind the scenes to make Messi's rumored return a reality.
The Argentine ace is currently in the final months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and is yet to agree a new deal regarding an extension.
Messi left Barcelona in the summer of 2021 after the Catalan club were unable to renew his contract due to La Liga's wage cap rules. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner left behind an immense legacy. He scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 matches during his time at Barca.
Torres told Mundo Deportivo about Messi:
“Well, some rumours have come out, I’d like a farewell at Camp Nou to match what he has given to Barça, it would be nice. They [Alba and Busquets] are already doing their job, if that is what you want to get out of me, yes. I don’t think they need to convince him."
Despite Lionel Messi's immense achievements with Barcelona, his exit from the club was not the way that many wanted it to be. Hence, a return for the player is something that Barcelona fans are really keen to see.
Journalist reveals Lionel Messi doesn't yet have an offer from Barcelona
While Lionel Messi's return to Barcelona would be a fairytale affair, journalist Loic Tanzi has revealed that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner doesn't yet have a concrete offer on the table from the Catalan club.
Messi, 35, has an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. The Saudi Pro League (SPL) side have offered him a mega deal that would see the player earn around €400 million per year. Tanzi, however, revealed that Messi isn't interested in a move to the Middle East.
The journalist claimed on L'Equipe de Greg:
“Messi doesn’t want to go to Saudi Arabia, so only concrete offer he has is from PSG. Both parties (Messi and PSG) are leaving the door open until the end if Messi has nothing in the end [offer from Barça].”
While Lionel Messi's time at PSG looks set to come to an end at the end of the campaign, the Argentine has been in good form for the Parisians. He has scored 20 goals and has provided 16 assists in 36 matches so far this season.