FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has left the doors open for a potential return to the Catalan outfit for Lionel Messi amid speculation surrounding the future of the Argentine superstar.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after his contract with the club had expired. Messi wanted to stay in Barcelona, but the Catalan outfit could not retain his services due to structural and financial obstacles.
Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, but his current contract with the French heavyweights is due to expire at the end of the season. He has not yet agreed to extend his stay at PSG.
Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami, and Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal are reportedly interested in Lionel Messi, while a move back to Barcelona has also been speculated on.
Read More: Sergio Aguero Makes Lionel Messi’s Barcelona Return Claim
Joan Laporta: Lionel Messi knows that Barcelona’s doors are open to him
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has left the doors open to Lionel Messi for a return to the Catalan outfit.
“Messi knows that Barça’s doors are open to him. We will see. I have to find a way to improve the current relationship between Messi and Barça,” Joan Laporta said while speaking to the YouTube channel The Business and Money Behind Sports [via Relevo]
Reflecting on the decision to part ways with Lionel Messi back in 2021, Joan Laporta said: “The legacy I found when I became president was not a good one and I had to make a decision that I am not happy with.”
Joan Laporta also hailed Lionel Messi as the best player in history and said the Argentine has been the most important player in Barcelona’s history. However, he also stressed that Messi is now a PSG player and that he has to respect that.
Joan Laporta said: “Messi is the best player in history. He has been the most important player in Barça’s history. I have to be very careful what I say. Messi is a PSG player and I have to have respect. Leo knows that we have him in our hearts. He is part of our shield.”
Meanwhile, Sergio Aguero, who is a friend and a former teammate of Lionel Messi, recently said he thinks there is a 50% chance the PSG attacker will return to Barcelona. He also said a potential return would come closer if Joan Laporta makes the effort to bring back the Argentine.
