BARCELONA boss Xavi has asked the club to re-sign Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports.
Messi, 35, joined PSG in a free transfer from Barcelona last summer, but he failed to reach the same heights that he did while in Spain.
In 37 appearances for the Parisians he’s scored 14 goals and assisted 16, but many fans have been unimpressed with his performances.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was BOOED off the pitch following PSG’s 3-0 win against Bordeaux earlier this year.
And some fans even urged him to quit the club in a graffiti message plastered across the Camp des Loges training ground.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are pushing to climb back to the top of La Liga after finishing 13 points behind league champions Real Madrid last season.
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Despite already spending big this summer, the Catalan giants only managed to claim a point from their opening league game of the 2022-23 campaign.
They were held to a 0-0 draw by Rayo Vallecano on Saturday with new forwards Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both failing to get on the scoresheet.
As a result, Xavi is now eager to bring in at least two more attacking players.
And according to Spanish football reporter Guillem Balague, he wants Messi to return to the Nou Camp.
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Xavi is already known to be interested in signing Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, who has not denied rumours of a proposed £80million move to Spain, but now Messi has emerged as a top target.
Balague tweeted: “Clearly the midfield of Barcelona, with the exception of Pedri, has not got the subtle touch/thinking necessary to play as Xavi wants, to find the right tempo, to feed forwards (and Busquets has played his best football).
“Hence Xavi wanting Bernardo Silva (and asking for Messi).”
The Argentina legend’s father and agent Jorge Messi was claimed to be on the phone to Barca chiefs repeatedly at the start of the year in a bid to negotiate a return for his son.
Messi’s PSG contract expires next summer, so it will likely cost his former club to bring him back.
But, Barcelona are currently in a financial crisis so some current players will have to be offloaded before another deal can be pushed through.
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Officials are currently attempting to force Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay out of the club in a bid to free up space on the wage bill.
And Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could also depart just eight months after signing – he is being targeted by Chelsea.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
