Lionel Messi returned to Barcelona this week and dined in the same restaurant as former teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba alongside the club’s boss Xavi Hernandez
Lionel Messi flew to Barcelona on Thursday to dine with Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez and several of the Catalan club’s star players.
The Argentine was spotted entering a restaurant where Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were also having dinner, while Barca boss Xavi was also in the Japanese eatery.
Alba and Busquets went with their respective partners to the exclusive restaurant in the Catalan capital where Pepe Costa, a former employee of Barca, was also having dinner.
At the end of the dinner, Messi did not want to make any statement to the group of journalists who had assembled at the door of the restaurant.
Messi paused outside the restaurant to sign a fan’s kit but refused to answer questions on his future
Messi only stopped briefly to sign the Barcelona shirt of a fan, but he did not want to answer any questions from the media about a possible return to the club.
It has been suggested that the dinner was just a casual meeting between friends taking advantage of the permission given by Messi’s PSG coach, Christophe Galtier.
A group of journalists assembled outside the Japanese restaurant in the city
Barcelona planning two important sales and some salary cuts to re-sign Messi – Romero
As the rumours of Lionel Messi returning to FC Barcelona continue to heat up, Gerard Romero has provided a fresh update on the chances of the Argentine’s comeback.
As per the transfer insider, the chances of Messi returning to Barça, at this point, are at 80%.
Romero claims that Barcelona and La Liga are in constant discussions over the club’s economic viability plan which needs to be approved for them to re-sign and register Messi.
And as per the plan proposed by the Blaugrana, they are set to make two important sales in the summer along with some salary reductions in order to bring the 35-year-old Argentina captain back to the club.
And he adds that the chances of La Liga giving the green light to the operation are increasing.
This is certainly a huge step in the right direction for Barcelona in their pursuit of Messi.
Having been forced to part ways with him in 2021 due to the club’s poor financial health, Joan Laporta & co. could now be inching closer and closer to bringing the record Ballon d’Or winner back home for one last dance.
Recent reports suggest that Barça plan to offer Messi a two-year contract worth €13 million per season (net), so that the club legend can play at the renovated Camp Nou and retire there, if he chooses to do so.
La Liga president Javier Tebas insisted on Wednesday that the Blaugrana had a lot of work to do in order to re-sign Messi.
Should the aforementioned conditions regarding two important departures and salary cuts for other players are met, Messi will very much likely return to Barcelona, claims Romero.
As for the two important sales that are being planned, Romero does not mention any names but it must be remembered that the likes of Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and even veteran left-back Jordi Alba have all been linked with exits ahead of the summer window.
Sergio Busquets’ future is also still uncertain as he has not signed the renewal agreement. Even if he renews, the midfielder will be doing so at a much lower salary than he currently earns. There could be a salary cut for Alba as well, in case the club do not sell him.
All in all, chances of Messi returning to Barcelona are increasing by the day.
