FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stated that the club is Messi’s “home” as the club attempts to re-sign him this summer.
The Argentine’s contract with Paris St-Germain expires in June, and all parties involved are reportedly unwilling to extend it.
In an interview with TV3, Laporta stated that Barcelona can compete with anyone for the 35-year-old’s services this summer.
Messi spent 21 years at Barcelona before leaving two years ago, winning titles, setting records, and making a name for himself and the club.
Though he is regarded as a god at FC Barcelona, the same cannot be said of his time at PSG, particularly this season. Fans booed him after the team’s 5-0 win over Ajaccio last weekend.
According to reports, Messi was suspended for two weeks by PSG for traveling to Saudi Arabia without permission from the club, an embarrassing incident that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had never experienced at Barcelona.
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The club allowed the Argentine icon to return to the squad ahead of PSG’s game against Ajaccio last weekend, and he started in the 5-0 victory. During this time, PSG fans booed him to show him that he is no longer welcome at the club.
As a result, it is certain that when his current contract with the French club expires this summer, he will leave, but his destination is unknown.
Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia is said to have tabled a record offer of over £300 million per year for Messi, which the player has yet to sign.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Messi’s future, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has been very vocal about the possibility of re-signing the 35-year-old midfielder this summer.
“He is a Paris St-Germain player, and we have to wait until the end of the season until it is over, and then we can talk more calmly about this,” Laporta was quoted as saying recently.
“With all due respect to Saudi Arabia, Barcelona is Barca, and it is home.”
