Last week, reports about Messi's potential return to Barcelona started flooding media outlets in Europe. Unfortunately for Barcelona fans, those reports have been squashed by Messi's inner circle despite recent publications about his potential return to the team where he won every major European competition.
According to reports coming in from France and Catalunya, the player is willing to remain at Parc Des Princes until the end of his current deal, which would see him play in Ligue 1 until the end of the 2022-23 season.
Initial reports stated that his wife, Antonella Rocuzzo, had urged her husband to go back to the place they called home for the better part of his career, but the final say on this matter came from Messi's dad/agent, Jorge Messi.
The publication states that Messi's father will not enter any negotiations with the Spanish outfit until Joan Laporta leaves the team's presidency. The reason for this decision is fueled by Laporta's alleged "betrayal" against the Messis, who felt they were tricked by Laporta and his staff into thinking they had reached an agreement for a new deal, only for the Blaugrana president to back out from it at the last minute.
Messi Sr reportedly added that Barcelona's current transfer business hints that the club did not want to have his son around, and that their decision to "play games" with them would prevent any deal from taking place.
Lionel Messi's wife and former teammates Xavi Hernández and Dani Alves have been tipped to be the key figures in this plot to bring Messi back to Barcelona, but their wishes may not be met by the Argentine superstar out of loyalty to his father.
