Lionel Messi’s proposed Barcelona return is reportedly ‘impossible’ due to one key reason, with the Argentina seemingly on course to extend his stay with Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi’s proposed return to Barcelona is reportedly impossible due to club president Joan Laporta.
Messi left Barcelona in the summer of 2021 after scoring 672 goals in 778 appearances for the Blaugrana, helping the club win multiple honours, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies.
The Argentine was desperate to extend his successful stay with the Catalan giants, but the club were unable to finalise his contract even though Messi had agreed to reduce his salary.
They were unable to give Messi a new deal and remain under La Liga’s salary limit, meaning he had to depart when his contract expired in 2021.
Barcelona’s all-time top scorer went on to spend two years in France with Paris Saint-Germain, before he joined Inter Miami on a two-and-a-half-year deal in the summer of 2023.
© Imago
Messi Barcelona return is ‘impossible’
Messi has now entered the final year of his Inter Miami contract, with his current terms set to expire at the end of the 2025 MLS season.
A recent report claimed that Messi could make a sensational return to Barcelona four years after his heartbreaking exit.
However, according to journalist Guillem Balague, the 2022 World Cup winner currently has ‘no intention’ of returning to the Catalan club.
Balague states that a return is ‘impossible’ while Laporta is the club president due to the breakdown in relationship between the pair over the way Messi’s exit was handled.
© Imago
Messi set to stay with Inter Miami
The update also claims that Inter Miami are ‘quite likely’ to persuade the Argentina international to extend his stay at Chase Stadium beyond the end of the season.
In November, it was reported that Messi was ‘enthusiastic’ about the prospect of signing a new deal with the MLS franchise.
The Inter Miami star has made a fine start to the 2025 season, scoring two goals and providing two assists in the club’s first three competitive matches.
Messi will be looking to add to those goal contributions when he features in Sunday’s MLS clash against Houston Dynamo at the Shell Energy Stadium.
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F51%2Fansu-fati.jpg?w=350&resize=350,250&ssl=1 "Barcelona ‘concerned’ about loanee’s situation as recall")
