Transfer Rumors: Barcelona Working Overtime To Bring Lionel Messi Back

Soccer fans still feel iffy about seeing Lionel Messi in a Paris Saint-Germain kit instead of an FC Barcelona one since he left Camp Nou ahead of the 2021-22 soccer season due to complications with Barcelona's financial issues following the global pandemic.

However, it now appears that a homecoming may be coming for Messi and his beloved Blaugrana.

Spanish-based website Fichajes.net cited a report from journalist Gerard Romero that Messi's and Barcelona's representatives have recently got together to find a way towards bringing Messi back to the famed La Liga side this summer.

Recently, Jorge and Rodrigo Messi, the soccer star's father and brother respectively, returned to Spain after their trip to Saudi Arabia but declined to answer any of the media's questions.

It should be noted that Messi had signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain with an option for a third year at Parc de Princes, which if he decides to turn it down, will make him a free agent.

Another source reported that there are three factors that need to be addressed before Messi decides to return: the salary cap, raising capital via sponsorships, and how much current Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants Messi back.

Barcelona first needs to address the salary cap as they have a ton of positions to address in the upcoming summer window such as right-back and left-winger which will likely lead to a lot of departures.

While there were no names put forward with regards to who will be sold from Camp Nou, names such as Ansu Fati, Eric Garcia, Ferran Torres, Jordi Abla, Raphinha and Franck Kessie could be the casualties of a salary cap fire sale as per sources.

Former Manchester City defender Garcia could be the first one up on the chopping block as he has remained buried on the depth chart in Barcelona despite signing a five-year deal with them in the summer of 2021.

Garcia is currently valued at €18 million ($19.3 million) by Transfermarkt and the money they recoup from his sale will be a big profit for them as his departure from the Etihad Stadium came at a free transfer.

After Garcia, Torres has the second-best chance of being sold since he has barely lived up to the £46.7 million ($56.7 million) that Barcelona paid for him in the December window of 2021.

With so much uncertainty and a ton of work needed to bring back Messi to Barcelona, it appears that a miracle is needed before No. 10 will be back at his home stadium.