La Liga set date to respond to Barcelona's viability plans to sign Lionel Messi - Reports
La Liga are reportedly set to rule on Barcelona's viability plans on Tuesday, June 6. The Catalan side need a green signal from the league to get the deal done for the Argentine's return.
As per Lluís Mascaró of SPORT, Barcelona are eagerly waiting for the reply from La Liga and have been told that Tuesday will be D-day. The journalist adds that the return of Messi could be completed immediately as work is being done behind the scenes.
However, if they do not get the go-ahead from the league, things are set to fall through. Messi is leaving PSG and will become a free agent, and could turn to offers from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal and MLS side Inter Miami.
Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, has confirmed that Barcelona cannot register Messi as things stand. He wants them to reduce their wage bill drastically and said (via Forbes):
"Today, they can not register Messi, but hopefully they manage it. There is plenty of time left. We are waiting for a viability plan, they can sell players, [but] today it is difficult."
He added:
"Hopefully, as a league, Barca will make the necessary moves for Messi to come, but we will not change any rules so that they can sign Messi. That is what we expect. I would like Messi to play in this competition."
It will be interesting to see if Lionel Messi ends up joining his boyhood club Barcelona or not.
La Liga blocked Lionel Messi's former side Barcelona from signing players in the winter
Javier Tebas has been strict with his rules and did not allow Barcelona to sign players in the winter window. He stated that the club are above their wage limit already and thus rejected the contract renewal of Gavi too.
He was quoted by AS saying:
"We have not let Barca sign players this winter, and next summer they will not be able to sign players. With the famous levers, the club has made levers last summer for 5% of its turnover. But at other clubs, that could be a problem. We have acted and self-regulated quickly. No one can make levers that represent 5% of the turnover."
He added:
"If with Barca, which is a very important club for the League, we look the other way on the economic issue, we would do ourselves a disservice for the competition itself."
Barcelona's wage bill has not drastically reduced with Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets leaving at the end of the season.
Xavi has confirmed that Lionel Messi is their target this summer and told Mundo Deportivo that he is talking to the Argentine. However, he added that the final decision is with the player and he is waiting for it.