LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) Lionel Messi won’t be making a dramatic loan return to Barcelona, as the club has different priorities for the upcoming January transfer window.
Despite speculations of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner revisiting Camp Nou, it’s now clear that Inter Miami, his current team, won’t be participating in the MLS playoffs.
With their postseason hopes dashed, Messi’s debut season in the United States will conclude on October 21st.
While he has World Cup qualifiers with Argentina in November, there will be a substantial break until the 2024 season kicks off in the U.S.
This gap could have led to Messi considering a short-term return to European football for more competitive action.
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Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona won’t pursue a deal with Messi due to their tight budget constraints.
Even if Messi agreed to a reduced salary, La Liga would still consider his wage to be considerably higher, similar to their approach with summer signing Joao Felix.
Barcelona’s focus is on registering Vitor Roque in January, an 18-year-old Brazilian forward for whom they already have an agreement in place with Athletico Paranaense.
There are no plans to bring Messi back, which means he will return to preseason training with Inter Miami in January.
In the meantime, the David Beckham co-owned team might arrange a series of friendlies during the winter.
