Lionel Messi Agrees To Join FC Barcelona In July, Argentine Media Claims

Lionel Messi will rejoin FC Barcelona on July 1, 2023 according to the Argentine media.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner currently plies his trade at Paris Saint Germain, who he fled to on a two-year deal in the summer of 2021.

Barca tried to hold on to their all-time appearances and goalscoring leader, but failed to navigate a strict La Liga salary cap and were forced to watch as the iconic number ’10’ walked to a European rival free of charge.

With Messi’s two-year arrangement at the Parc des Princes set to expire on June 30, 2023, however, there has been increased talk of him returning to where it all started as a shy 13-year-old at the Catalans’ La Masia academy after switching from hometown club Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario.

Barca vice-president Eduard Romeu said last week that the cash-strapped La Liga leaders, buoyed by the pulling of a series of economic levers in the recent transfer window, can make the numbers work for Messi to thrill the Camp Nou once more given that he would arrive without a price tag attached to his name.

On Tuesday afternoon, respected Argentine journalist Veronica Brunati reported that Messi will return to his former employers of over 20 years ahead of the 2023/2024 season, as part of a coup that would allow him to hang his boots up in Europe in Blaugrana.

It had previously been said that Messi would not come to a decision on his future until after the World Cup, but Messi has already made his mind up if Brunati’s claims are accurate.

Cadena SER claimed at the weekend that PSG have a plan in place to stop this from happening, and will offer Messi a two-year deal that pays him something close to the €30mn ($30mn) per season he currently takes home.

Barca might struggle to match that figure, and it would be interesting to see if president Joan Laporta would break an alleged club policy that sees no player paid more than €10mn ($10m ) a year in Catalonia.

Given Laporta is prepared to apologize for the manner in which Messi left Barca, however, he may also be willing to make concessions in this area too.