Barcelona veteran waiting to see if PSG superstar Lionel Messi returns before deciding his future - Reports
Barcelona full-back Jordi Alba is prepared to stay at the club for one more season if Lionel Messi decides to return to the Nou Camp this summer, according to Catalan outlet El Nacional.
Jordi Alba, 34, is assuming that his time at Barcelona is nearing its end. According to the aforementioned source, the Spain international believes that a move away from the Blaugrana is the best for his chances to play at EURO 2024.
Alba has seen his game time dwindle this season as manager Xavi Hernandez prefers Alejandro Balde as his left-back. The club veteran has made 27 appearances for the Catalan giants this season and has contributed two goals and seven assists along the way. He currently has a contract at the club until the summer of 2024.
Alba, however, is playing the waiting game at the moment. His future at Barcelona currently depends on that of Lionel Messi. According to reports, Messi will wait until his season as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) comes to an end before making a decision on his future for next term. The World Cup-winning attacker reportedly has a massive offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal worth around £320 million per annum.
Even if Lionel Messi does not join the La Liga giants, Jordi Alba still has a chance to reunite with his former teammate. The Spanish international, along with Sergio Busquets, has an offer on the table from Al-Hilal.
The Saudi Arabian side are looking to bring in three former Barcelona teammates this summer as they look to win the AFC Champions League. Al-Hilal, four times winner of the tournament, lost to Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the final last season.
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba had a great time together at Barcelona
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba were teammates at Barcelona from 2012 to the former's departure from the club in 2021. The pair played 345 games together and helped the club win numerous honors along the way which include a treble in 2015. They beat Juventus 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League final in Berlin on the course of that historic treble.
Messi and Alba had a total of 34 joint goal participations between them. 24 of Messi's goals in the red and blue were assisted by Jordi Alba while the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner himself assisted 10 times to his Spaniard teammate.
Lionel Messi is currently serving a two-week suspension at PSG after he went on a holiday to Saudi Arabia without the club's permission.