Barcelona have already started the campaign to bring back Leo Messi

Barcelona’s desire to bring back Lionel Messi is an open secret at this point. With the forward’s contract at Paris Saint-Germain expiring at the end of the season, the club are sensing an opportunity to bring their prodigal son back to Catalonia.

Messi left Barcelona in 2021, in favour of a move to PSG. His departure strained the relationship between the player and the club’s executive, with Messi blaming the club did not do enough to keep him at Camp Nou.

However, in recent weeks, Barça have been making significant strides in their bid to douse the tension. Messi himself has appeared very open to a potential return, and more importantly, moving farther away from a possible contract extension at PSG.

The French giants have recently been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League, which has added to the uncertainty over a prolonged spell at Parc des Princes.

To that end, a recent report from Helena Condis suggests there is growing optimism over Barcelona’s pursuit of Lionel Messi, with the club’s leaders hoping that the operation will be successful come the end of the summer transfer window. It appears the campaign to sign the forward has begun, as the reporter calls it.

Rafa Yuste, the second most authoritative voice after Joan Laporta, calls Messi’s return a ‘destiny’, whereas the head coach, Xavi Hernandez, is also hopeful the move can happen in the coming summer.

Xavi and Messi had shared the pitch for the majority of their illustrious careers and the Spaniard will welcome the possibility of having the Argentine at his disposal from next season.

With growing uncertainty over the future of Ansu Fati, Barcelona might look to sanction the forward’s sale to fund a move for Messi. However, a lot depends on La Liga’s final verdict regarding the club’s financial situation, especially as the club were instructed to reduce €200 million from their wage budget earlier in the season.