Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reiterated his desire for Lionel Messi to return to the Catalan club in an interview with ESPN. Although Barca manager Xavi has labeled this transfer as being “impossible” at present, there is the potential of a return to the club next summer when his contract with PSG is set to expire.
“I was co-responsible for an ending that I consider provisional. Messi’s story at Barca did not end as we all wanted, it ended conditioned by financial reasons and we have a moral debt to him,” Laporta admitted during the interview.
Messi’s departure from his lifelong club came as a result of Barcelona’s financial woes and consequential inability to renew Messi’s contract with the club. Currently, Barcelona is facing a gross debt of over €1 billion, however, the €600 million sale of 25% of the club’s domestic television rights for the next 25 years has enabled the team to invest in an array of new signings, including Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde.
