Lionel Messi Wants to Return to Barcelona After PSG Exit, Father Confirms

The father of Lionel Messi said the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner would like to return to Barcelona this summer.

"Of course, he would love to return to Barcelona," Jorge Messi said, according to ESPN's Adriana Garcia. "I would like it too. We will see."

The comments came after Jorge met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, per Spanish journalist Toni Juanmartí.

Paris Saint-Germain announced Saturday that Messi was leaving the club following the end of the 2022-23 season.

When it comes to a Barcelona reunion, the feeling is mutual.

"The priorities are very clear, I would really like Messi to return," manager Xavi Hernandez said leading up to Sunday's 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo.

"[Messi] knows that, and I have spoken with him. From there, Leo aside, the other priority is a midfielder [to replace Sergio Busquets] in the ideal scenario."

At issue is whether Barça will have the financial capacity to sign the 35-year-old.

In April, La Liga president Javier Tebas said the league won't relax any of its financial rules to accommodate Messi's return. As a result, Barcelona would need to balance the books by €200 million in order to secure new signings.

French newspaper L'Equipe (via Samuel Draper of the Daily Mail) reported on May 31 that Barcelona might join forces with MLS club Inter Miami on a Messi deal. Inter Miami would sign him and loan him to Barça for 18 months, thus allowing the Catalan giant to bypass the financial hurdles.

A move to the Saudi Pro League has been rumored as well. Messi is already a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia, and the riches on offer there far exceed what he can make anywhere else in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly getting $75 million per year after signing with Al-Nassr.

Barcelona's massive level of debt basically forced Messi to leave during the summer of 2021. Perhaps the same story will play out again.

Assuming the Argentine star prefers to call Camp Nou home again, you'd expect he and the club to find a way to make it happen, though.