Barcelona Will ‘Do Everything Possible’ to Sign Lionel Messi: Joan Laporta

Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated on Monday the membership will “do all the pieces potential” to bring Argentine superstar Lionel Messi back in the close season.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward is set to leave in the summer when his contract expires and new La Liga champions Barcelona are hoping to lure their all-time top goalscorer back, despite strong interest from Saudi Arabia.

Messi has had two lacklustre seasons in Paris after a glorious era at Barcelona where he won four Champions League and 10 La Liga titles, and is still worshipped by the fans there.

Laporta said he has spoken with Messi to try and rebuild the relationship between them, which was damaged when he left in 2021.

Messi wanted to stay at Barcelona but the club could not afford to keep him because of debt of over one billion euros ($1.1 billion).

“I have spoken to Leo to somehow redirect a situation that occurred, in which I had to put the club ahead of everything, even him, who is the best player in the world,” Laporta advised Catalan regional public tv station TV3.

“The reality is that it was a really affectionate dialog, very nice, and we’ve additionally been sending one another messages these days — I congratulated him on the World Cup.”

In the early hours of Monday morning after Barcelona won 4-2 at Espanyol to clinch La Liga, Laporta said on Twitch that “we will do everything possible” to signal Messi.

However, talking on TV3, he was extra cautious.

“He is a Paris Saint-Germain participant and what we are going to do is enhance the group in all areas, we’ve already labored on that,” said Laporta.

“I think it would do me a disservice to talk about these questions about Leo, because he belongs to a team like Paris Saint-Germain, and we have to wait until the end of the season, until it is over and then we can talk more calmly about this.”

AFP reported final week that sources shut to negotiations stated it was a “executed deal” that Messi would move to Saudi Arabia next season.

However, Laporta said that despite the money on offer in the Middle East — a reported 400 million dollars a year — Barcelona could compete for Messi’s signature.

“With all due respect to Saudi Arabia, Barca is Barca, and it is his home,” added Laporta.

“We can compete with everybody. History backs us, the emotions are too robust, we’ve 400 million followers all over the world too.”

Barcelona need to make over 200 million euros in savings, or new income, to be able to operate without restrictions under La Liga financial fair play rules.

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed)