Barcelona sporting director Deco has addressed transfer speculation linking club legend Lionel Messi with a return to the Catalan club. The World Cup winner left the Catalan giants in acrimonious fashion back in 2021 as their financial woes meant he could not be offered a new contract, but the hope of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner returning to Camp Nou has not left Barca fans – despite Messi turning 38 this summer.
How Barcelona lost Messi in 2021
Messi established himself as an all-time great during a sparkling 17-year stint in Barca’s senior setup, holding the club’s records for most appearances and goals with 778 matches played and a ridiculous 672 strikes. He won every major honour there is to win with his former club, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, playing alongside other legends like Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar and Sergio Busquets, among others, as Barca enjoyed one of the most glistening periods in their history.
The fairytale eventually came to an end in 2021 as financial mismanagement resulted in Messi’s departure at the end of his contract. He signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer but had two difficult seasons in France before joining Major League soccer outfit Inter Miami, where he has resumed his incredible goal-scoring. Barca remain somewhat strapped for cash but appear to be in a better position than they were four years ago, but sporting director Deco didn’t give much away when asked about a potential return to the club for the Argentinian.
Deco responds to potential Messi return
Speaking on Que t’hi jugues, Deco said: “I don’t think it’s possible because Leo is under contract and it was never even considered. Leo is always Leo and he could still contribute something; he’s a great player, but it’s not something we’re going to talk about,” he firmly stated.
“The current situation is entirely speculative,” Deco added.
Why an imminent return seems unrealistic
Barca fans unsurprisingly fell head-over-heels back in love with Messi when he was pictured at the club’s newly-refurbished Camp Nou stadium back in early November. The legendary attacker admitted he wants to return in some capacity in the future in order to say a proper goodbye to supporters, something he was denied four years ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, president Joan Laporta later revealed it was “not realistic” to consider a playing homecoming with Messi recently committing his future to Inter Miami for another three years. Their financial situation remains tight, having spent relatively little on transfers compared to some of Europe’s other top teams over the past few seasons, and whether they would be able to afford Messi’s wages remains to be seen.
What comes next for Messi and Barcelona?
With many football supporters around the world hopeful of Messi returning to Camp Nou in the future, this is a story that is unlikely to fade away any time soon. However, the two parties have different goals to focus on in the immediate future. Messi will be hopeful of scooping more silverware on Saturday, with Inter Miami facing Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final. He could be joined by some former team-mates in the future, with Neymar linked with a switch to MLS after experiencing a difficult return to boyhood club Santos, while he could also feature in next year’s World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico as Argentina look to defend the crown they won in Qatar in 2022.
Barca, meanwhile, have opened up a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, though Los Blancos have the chance to cut that advantage when they meet Athletic Club on Wednesday night.
