According to Dailymail, Barcelona are the frontrunners in acquiring Lionel Messi’s signature at the end of this season as the greatest player in football history remains hesitant about signing a new deal with Paris Saint Germain. The World Cup winner is having doubts about signing a contract extension and is considering his options away from France. The Catalan giants remain the favourites in bringing him back to Spain.
Lionel Messi’s Impressive Run Of Form For PSG And Argentina This Season
Messi is having a brilliant campaign with the French giants as he has produced several dominant displays in the final third. He has managed to find the back of the net on thirteen occasions and produced fourteen assists over twenty-one appearances for PSG so far this season across all fronts.
Moreover, his excellent run of form has helped Argentina lift the World Cup once again as he managed to score seven goals and create three assists over seven appearances in the competition that was held in Qatar.
The Rosario-born sensation has been flawless in the attacking third after averaging 4.1 shots, 2.3 key passes and 3.3 dribbles per game in Ligue 1. He has also been accurate when linking up with his teammates based on his pass completion rate of 83.3% in the French top flight (stats via whoscored).
Messi‘s contract at the Parc Des Princes expires at the end of this season. Hence, it makes sense for Barca to negotiate a deal with him before other clubs join the race.
Can Xavi Successfully Convince Messi To Return To Barcelona?
Messi’s controversial departure from Camp Nou was reportedly due to the Spanish La Liga regulations that made it difficult for a deal to formalise due to economic and structural obstacles. The deal fell through regardless of both parties coming to an agreement with Messi even agreeing to take a 50 per cent pay deduction from his previous contract.
PSG seemed an automatic fit for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner as he reunited with his close friend and ex-teammate Neymar Jr. However, Messi has yet to sign a contract extension after agreeing to a two-year deal with the French outfit in 2021, so it is certainly possible for him to return to Camp Nou as he would again become a free agent in the summer.
Xavi is also a close friend of Messi and there is more than a decade of history between the two. This makes Xavi more than capable of convincing the GOAT of a dramatic return home. The 35-year-old has shown no signs of stopping just yet and is currently playing as if he’s in his prime again so we can expect him to help the Catalan giants regain their position in European football if he decides to join them next season.
