Report: Barcelona Met With La Liga Officials To Discuss Lionel Messi’s Return
As we enter into the business end of the 2022/23 campaign, speculations surrounding Barcelona’s transfer plans for the summer window are starting to heat up. One of the main topics of discussion of late has been Lionel Messi and his possible return to the club.
Reports on Wednesday suggested that things were moving quite rapidly on that front and that an agreement between Barça and Messi was in advanced stages. Both parties are optimistic about the move as long as La Liga green-lights the club’s economic viability plan.
And, there seems to have been development on that front as well. According to Edu Aguirre on El Chiringuito TV, Barcelona officials held a meeting with their La Liga counterparts in Madrid yesterday to discuss the feasibility of Messi’s return.
Barça were represented by director Mateu Alemany and treasurer Ferran Olive at the meeting while from La Liga, Javier Gomez (corporate general director) and Oscar Mayo (executive general director) attended the meeting.
It is claimed that the meeting took place in a hotel in Madrid and ran for one hour and 15 minutes.
During the meeting, Barcelona are understood to have discussed their financial viability plan to ensure the smooth registration of Messi should he return to the club.
The Blaugrana are aware that the Argentine’s return appeals to La Liga as well, as his exit back in 2021 also had an effect on the league as well. In fact, La Liga president Javier Tebas has stated on multiple occasions that he would like to see Messi back in Spain.
But, the Financial Fair Play stands in the way of Barcelona’s efforts to re-sign Messi, while simultaneously registering the contracts of Gavi, Ronald Araujo, Sergi Roberto, and Marcos Alonso.
Alemany was asked by El Chiringuito journalists if the PSG superstar’s name was discussed during the meeting with La Liga, but he responded by saying: “No. It was a routine meeting, we have a lot with them.”
It is expected that Barcelona will learn about La Liga’s decision on their viability plan in early May, at which point they can press ahead with formal talks with Messi.
