Xavi casts MAJOR doubt on Messi’s Barcelona return

FT Desk

Barcelona manager Xavi has admitted that Lionel Messi’s potential return to the club remains very much uncertain.

Messi will leave PSG as a free agent this summer, and Barca have made little secret of their desire for a reunion with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner – who has also been strongly linked with a switch to Saudi Arabia.

But if Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain is to return to the club where he established himself as arguably the greatest player of all time, there’s still a lot of work to do.

READ: Lewandowski calls Messi to Barcelona

Speaking to reporters ahead of recently-crowned LaLiga champions Barca’s trip to Real Valladolid, Xavi said of the potential for a romantic homecoming for Messi: “It’s up in the air; it depends on many things. There is not much more I can say.

“Leo is a spectacular footballer; he is a friend. From there, it depends on many things, but above all on his intentions and what he wants.”

Messi enjoyed immense success in the same legendary Pep Guadriola-coached Barca side as Xavi – whose latest remarks come after club president Joan Laporta vowed to do “everything” to bring the 35-year-old back to Catalonia.

READ: Messi to Barcelona: Xavi questions Leo’s transfer ‘desire’

Can Barca afford Messi

However, any move for Messi is bound to be complicated by Barca’s ongoing financial difficulties – the ultimate reason the two had to emotionally part ways two years ago.

With Messi out of contract next month, there would be no transfer fee involved – but he is said to be earning in excess of €700,000 a week at PSG.

Barca may well have to offload some high-value players in order to give themselves a chance of complying with LaLiga’s strict salary cap rule.

READ: Messi, Tielemans, De Gea and the best players available on free transfers this summer