Could Lionel Messi be headed back to Barcelona? The same journalist who broke the news of his move to Inter Miami is now reporting that Messi wants to play at the new Camp Nou before retiring.
In May 2022, soccer journalist Alex Candal broke a story that took many by surprise – he reported that Lionel Messi was set for a move to Inter Miami.
A year later, the Argentine would eventually move to Miami to become MLS’ biggest-ever transfer. Now, the same Alex Candal has reported on Messi once again, revealing where exactly the Argentine could be headed next.
Messi’s current contract at Inter Miami expires at the end of the year, with the forward unlikely to continue further. Keeping that in mind, Candal has claimed that Messi’s next destination could be nothing other than Barcelona.
The journalist even cited Messi as saying, “I can’t leave soccer without playing at the new Camp Nou.“ This is quite a significant development even though this is too early to make any assumptions about Messi’s future.
Return to Camp Nou?
The Argentine’s potential return to Camp Nou, nonetheless, will be quite significant for the club, although it remains to be seen whether or not Barça have the economic means to pull off the deal.
Not to mention, Messi has a fractured relationship with Barcelona president Joan Laporta and that must improve, if the Argentine is to return to Camp Nou. Moreover, it is unclear whether or not Messi will fit into Barcelona’s current sporting setup, with Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha already building a formidable attacking combination.
Securing the services of an ageing Messi, therefore, might not be the most progressive move from Barcelona’s perspective. That said, Messi’s influence in Barcelona cannot be understated and given his performances at the international stage, it is clear that the Argentine is more than capable of still competing at the highest level of soccer.
The player himself has hinted about his desire to return in the past. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how this saga transpires in the coming months and whether or not Barcelona make a proper attempt to bring back their prodigal son to Catalonia.
The possibility of Messi returning to Barcelona would be a major story in the soccer world. While there are challenges to overcome, the emotional pull of a return to Camp Nou could be a powerful factor.
