Lionel Messi makes special request to father and agent Jorge Messi amid talk of Barcelona return: Reports
Lionel Messi has reportedly requested his father and agent Jorge to get him back to Barcelona. The PSG star is keen to play at Camp Nou again from the next season.
As per a report in Catalunya Radio, Messi has made it clear that he wants to rejoin Barcelona in the summer. Despite offers from Saudi Arabian clubs, Inter Miami and Inter Milan, he is not interested in moving to any other side.
His contract at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expires at the end of the season and the Ligue 1 side are yet to renew it. They do have an option to extend his deal by another season, but need to let him go as their wage bill is causing FFP issues.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed meeting with Jorge Messi, the father and agent of the PSG star, and said:
"I met Jorge Messi yes. We talked about the World Cup and a tribute match for Leo. He's at PSG right now, so I don't want to speak about whether or not he could return."
Why did Lionel Messi leave Barcelona?
Lionel Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after his contract could not be renewed at Camp Nou. The Catalan side were in financial trouble and had to drastically reduce their wage bill to keep the Argentine.
The deal to keep Messi at Camp Nou was agreed, but could not be registered at La Liga because of the wage bill. Recalling the timeline that led to the forward leaving, a source told ESPN:
"Jorge [Lionel Messi's father and agent] had a meeting early in the afternoon with Laporta and a notary from Barcelona to go over the two-year contract and sign the documents. Talks had been long, but with the election of Laporta in March, everything seemed fine. But when Jorge landed, he received a call from Laporta: 'Jorge, don't go to the notary, the club's situation is not the best and we're not going to be able to sign the agreement, I am so sorry.' Then Jorge phoned his son to relay the news to him."
Joan Laporta has already confirmed that he will do all he can to re-sign Messi in the summer.