Barcelona and Xavi planning to reunite with PSG star Lionel Messi next season - Reports
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez wants to reunite with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Lionel Messi next summer, according to Spanish outlet Sport (via PSGTalk).
Messi left his boyhood club last summer to join PSG on a free transfer. The 35-year-old penned a two-year contract with the Parisian giants with the option of another season.
According to the aforementioned source, Xavi has already asked Barcelona president Joan Laporta to bring Messi back to Camp Nou next summer. The former midfielder still has a close relationship with Messi and believes the Argentine skipper could still contribute to the club, both on and off the pitch.
Needless to say, the Argentine is a huge draw and his return to Barca would certainly attract more investment to the cash-strapped club. It is, however, worth mentioning that Messi will turn 36 next summer.
The ultimate aim of this operation would be to see Messi retire as a Barcelona player.
Messi has been linked with a move to the MLS at the end of his contract with PSG. According to recent reports, however, the Parisian giants are also interested in extending the Argentine's contract by another season. The Ligue 1 outfit also understand the financial and sporting benefits the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner brings to their side.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have already strengthened their attack this summer. They have spent big bucks to bring in Raphinha from Leeds United and Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich for deals worth €67 million and €50 million, respectively.
Lionel Messi took time to settle into this new surroundings following his move to PSG
That Lionel Messi had a troubled 2021-22 season in France would be an understatement. The 35-year-old forward struggled to get used to his new surroundings at PSG last time around.
Lionel Messi of PSG.
This is going to take some getting used to. https://t.co/jGnx9aWnWA
Messi ended the 2021-22 campaign with just 11 goals and 15 assists from 34 appearances across all competitions. However, only six of those goals were scored in Ligue 1. He did end up winning the Ligue 1 title, fittingly scoring the goal against RC Lens on matchday 34 that clinched it for the Parisian giants. It was his first league title outside Spain.
Lionel Messi is expected to have a much better 2022-23 season with a year's worth of experience of playing in France under his belt.
Barcelona, meanwhile, also struggled without Messi in their squad for the first time in nearly 15 years. The Catalan giants ended the 2021-22 season without a single trophy to their name and were even knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage. They were knocked out from Europe premier club competition's group stage for the first time since 2000-01 season.