Lionel Messi could reportedly leave Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated if he rejoins Barcelona at the end of the season.
0 of 1 minute, 22 secondsVolume 0%This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Lionel Messi may end up leaving Cristiano Ronaldo disappointed if he rejoins Barcelona this summer, with the proposed move set to have an impact on Al-Nassr’s hopes of landing Sergio Busquets after the veteran midfielder’s recent meeting with the Argentina forward over a late-night dinner in the Catalan city.. Messi is reportedly poised to leave Paris Saint-Germain upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season, with a return to the Nou Camp said to be among the options on the table for the 35-year-old as things stand.
Messi is thought to be keen on the prospect of rejoining the Catalan giants after leaving them for PSG two years ago, when they were left unable to pay his wages as a result of their well-documented financial problems. That’s according to Foot Mercato, who claim that at least one covert transfer meeting has already been held between Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Messi’s father Jorge in order to discuss a possible return later this year.Such a move could risk upsetting Ronaldo, though, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner hoping to be joined at Al-Nassr by Busquets at the end of the season. The veteran midfielder will reject the chance to join the Saudi outfit in the summer if Messi returns to Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo, with the pair still very close friends after developing a strong bond as team-mates up until the summer of 2021.They met for dinner in Barcelona earlier this year and reportedly did so again over the last few days, with club chiefs having been made aware of the event before it took place in the hope of learning whether Messi would be willing to sign for them at the end of the season. They have already presented a new contract offer to Busquets, although it seems as if his future will depend on whether Messi decides to return to Spain upon leaving PSG.
Lionel Messi would reportedly risk upsetting Cristiano Ronaldo by rejoining Barcelona this summer (Image: GETTY)
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Barcelona would even be able to afford Messi’s wages amid their ongoing efforts to balance the books after years of financial turmoil behind the scenes at the Nou Camp. Club president Joan Laporta recently welcomed the idea of Messi returning by insisting that he would love to see the Argentine hero back at his old stomping ground once again, but refused to make any promises in order to avoid creating false expectations for the club’s supporters.”It’s obvious that as Barcelona’s president I would like him to return one day to Barca, I would love that, but we can’t generate expectations,” Laporta told Barca TV in December.
The 35-year-old looks set to leave PSG when his contract expires in the summer (Image: GETTY)
“Messi is a PSG player, he has a contract with them. Messi just won the World Cup, Barca are delighted about that, but what I don’t want is to generate expectations [for something] that at the moment is hugely difficult. For us, Messi is the best player of all time.”We had him here, he developed as a player here. I am convinced he has Barca in his heart and he supports the club. He will always be linked to Barca. If he returns or not as a player? Right now he is a PSG player. We would really like it if he returned, but we will see.”
