adminBARCELONA. – Barcelona president Joan Laporta believes Lionel Messi could make a stunning return to the club.
Messi, 34, left for Paris Saint-Germain last summer after Barcelona were unable to renew his contract.
The Argentine departed the club in tears and vowed to return to the Nou Camp not long after leaving.
He still has a year remaining on his PSG contract but beyond that his future is uncertain – opening the door for a potential return.
Barca chief Laporta is certainly keen to see the superstar back to Catalonia and feels bad about the manner in which he left.
In an interview with ESPN Laporta said: “I don’t believe Messi’s chapter at Barcelona is over.
“And I believe it is our responsibility to make sure that chapter is still open, that it hasn’t closed.
“To have a moment to do it how it should have been done so that he may have a much more splendid ending than what he had.
“If I feel like I owe him one? Yes.
“Morally, as the president of Barcelona, I think I did what needed to be done. But also as Barcelona’s president, and personally, I believe I owe him one.”
Although Messi only contributed six league goals last season PSG want him to agree a one-year contract extension.
No formal offer has been made as of yet – and it is understood Messi wants to wait until after the World Cup to make a decision.
Messi did not live up to his usual heights in Ligue Un but generated £600m in revenue for the French champions.
His transfer signing helped PSG to bring in ten new sponsorship agreements with the likes of Dior, Gorillas, Crypto.com, Autohero, GOAT, Smart Good Things, Infinity Sports Water, Geekvape, PlayBetR, Volt and Big Cola.
Meanwhile, Neymar has been offered the chance to play for Real Madrid by Brazil team-mate Casemiro.
Reports recently emerged that the PSG forward, 30, has activated a clause in his contract which will see him stay at the Ligue 1 outfit until 2027.
But that would mean the French champions will pay him a further £155million over the next five years – with Neymar currently on an annual salary of £31m.
There have been reports that PSG are keen to offload his £600k-a-week wages this summer.
They are said to be looking for a buyer who will take on the South American hefty financial package.
And Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, who plays with Neymar for the national team, has now begun speculation over a possible move to the Bernabeu.
Speaking about Neymar’s future, he told SporTV’s Circulo Grande programme: “Neymar can play for any team in the world.
“If PSG don’t want him, Real Madrid want him. Okay?”
A move to Real would be a controversial one given Neymar spent four years with Spanish rivals Barcelona.
Links between Neymar and Madrid come after the LaLiga winners missed out on fellow PSG star Kylian Mbappe. – The Sun
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