Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Marlon Santos, Lionel Messi Rumours

Barcelona will reportedly exercise their right to sign Fluminense's Marlon Santos on a permanent deal. The Brazilian defender is on loan with the Blaugrana, but he is now expected to become a full-time Barca player prior to the end of the year and help ease the Camp Nou club's injury woes at the back.

In an exclusive for Sport, Joaquim Piera has revealed how the five-time UEFA Champions League winners can even save money on the deal: "Sport have learned that if Barca will execute their option to sign him from Fluminense (fixed at 6 million euros) before he’s played five official first team games, they will save on an additional payment of 2 million euros."

Santos has been plying his trade for Barca's B squad, but the Catalan club are set to wrap up a permanent deal now before he makes the step up to the first team.

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The plan has been approved by both manager Luis Enrique and Gerard Lopez, coach of the club's B team.

Piera also revealed how Fluminense won't block a permanent transfer because they still owe Barca €4 million from payments the Blaugrana made to try to acquire the rights of other youngsters—including Chelsea's Kenedy and a further fee of €400,000 for Santos. Therefore, the deal for Santos could cost Barca just €2 million.

Barca need all the defenders they can get at the moment. Luis Enrique's senior squad is experiencing an injury crisis in defence, with centre-backs Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu joining left-back Jordi Alba on the treatment table, per Betty Glover of Sky Sports.

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It also doesn't help the club are having problems at right-back, where Sergi Roberto and Aleix Vidal have struggled to replace Dani Alves. It's no wonder Luis Enrique and Co. are moving to secure any players who can do a job defensively.

Lionel Messi Tipped for Argentina Return

Maxi Rodriguez believes Barcelona's star talisman Lionel Messi could one day return to Argentina to play for Messi's boyhood club, Newell's Old Boys.

Rodriguez is optimistic a return could one day happen, and he even pinpointed when he thinks Messi will make his move during an interview with Tyc Sports (h/t FourFourTwo): "I think that if it will happen, it will be after the 2018 World Cup in Russia. I do not think it is an option before the World Cup."

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Rosario native Messi has talked about a return to Newell's in the past. Back in September, he told Telefe's Polemica en el Bar (h/t ESPN FC) how he's never lost the desire to feature again for his old club: "It's something I have kept an eye on. I want to play in Argentine football and Newell's, where I grew up."

The previous month, Old Boys vice president Christian D'Amico told FourFourTwo (h/t Jefferson Lake of Sky Sports) how he believes Messi will one day play for Newell's: "I am convinced, like many of my peers, that we can make history as a club if we get the best player in the world in a Newell's shirt."

It's a scenario that seems unlikely, though, at least as long as Messi continues to dominate the European game while wearing Barca colours. Messi is once again a prime candidate for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award after helping the Catalan club win La Liga last season.

Yet Messi's existing deal with Barca runs out in the summer of 2018, per the original report. There aren't many clubs in Europe who would be able to afford the dominant No. 10, much less tempt him away from the Camp Nou, where Messi has won every major trophy.

So the chance to play for Newell's while he's still able to showcase his once-in-a-generation talent would be a fitting final chapter in the distinguished career of the world's best player.