According to Argentine media, Lionel Messi will rejoin FC Barcelona on July 1, 2023. The seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or presently works for Paris Saint-Germain, where he emigrated on a two-year contract in the summer of 2021.
The speculation of Messi returning to the Catalans’ La Masia programme, where it all began for him as a bashful 13-year-old after leaving from hometown club Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, has risen now that his two-year deal at the Parc des Princes is slated to expire on June 30, 2023.
As part of a coup that would allow him to hang up his boots in Europe with Blaugrana, Messi will return to his former employers of more than 20 years, according to respected Argentine journalist Veronica Brunati’s report on Tuesday afternoon.
1 de julio de 2023, Lionel #Messi será jugador del Barça.
— Veronica Brunati (@verobrunati) October 4, 2022
If Brunati’s assertions are true, Messi has already made up his mind about his future, contrary to earlier predictions that he would wait to decide until after the World Cup. It was reported over the weekend by Cadena SER that PSG has a plan in place to prevent this from happening and will give Messi a two-year contract at roughly $30 million less than what he now earns per season.
It may be difficult for Barca to match that sum, and it would be intriguing to see if club president Joan Laporta deviates from an alleged club policy that states that no player should receive more than €10 million ($10 million) a year in Catalonia.
Sources close to Lionel Messi insist he will decide his future in 2023, not now. Barcelona, already discussing internally of his return — and PSG will really try to extend his contract. 🚨🇦🇷 #Messi
Messi’s camp guaranteed that no decision has been made & nothing is advanced yet. pic.twitter.com/wYIV97IL95
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 4, 2022
