Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Barca official says Lionel Messi return is possible, Club want Premier League midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets and more - 29 September 2022
Barcelona are keen to bring Lionel Messi back to the Camp Nou and the operation is economically viable as per their own admission.
Barca will be extremely happy with the business they've conducted in the summer transfer window. They roped in several world-class players and also managed to offload much of the deadwood at the club. They are now preparing for future transfer windows.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from September 29, 2022.
Gerard Pique joining Atletico Madrid in January 'impossible'
Reports from earlier this week claimed that Atletico Madrid were interested in signing Gerard Pique from Barcelona. The Spaniard has fallen down the pecking order at the Camp Nou and is no longer an automatic starter at the club.
The Rojiblancos have a leaky defence right now and have reportedly identified Pique as a quick fix. But as per a new report on SPORT, the Blaugrana legend moving to Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window is 'impossible'.
Pique has only made two appearances so far this season for Barca but he is not ready to leave the club. He is keen to fight for his place in the starting lineup.
Barca identify Ruben Neves as the perfect replacement for Sergio Busquets
Recent reports suggest that Sergio Busquets' stint at the Camp Nou could be drawing to a close. He is currently in the final year of his contract with the club and has been heavily linked with a move to the MLS.
According to Sport, the Catalans want Wolverhampton Wanderers' holding midfielder Ruben Neves to replace Sergio Busquets. Manchester United were reportedly interested in signing Neves in the summer but they ended up roping in Casemiro from Real Madrid.
As a result, they are unlikely to return for Neves in the near future, which means Barca won't have much competition in the race to sign him.
Ruben Neves is Barcelona's top target to replace Busquets in midfield sport.es/en/news/barca/…
Barcelona finance chief says signing Lionel Messi is possible
Lionel Messi has entered the final year of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and is now being linked with a possible return to his former club Barcelona. According to Eduard Romeu, vice-president of economics at Barca, the club could sign Messi next year despite navigating a financial crisis.
Speaking to to El Mati de Catalunya Radio (via The Mirror), Romeu said:
"It would be possible financially because if he returned it would be as a free agent.
"But it's a decision which has to be made by the coaching staff and the player. It doesn't correspond to me [to make those decisions], but it would be viable. Although I don't have it in the budget.
“He is an icon of the club. This will always be his home, but it will be a technical decision [if he returns].”
#FCB
Barcelona economic vice president Romeu on Leo Messi deal for June: “As it would be on a free, so surely it something that we can do. But it’d be a technical decision, anyways”. 🚨🔵🔴 #FCB
“There is salary margin, we made an effort this summer on salaries”
@ReshadRahman_ https://t.co/AdQbu6KeiE