Barcelona planning for next season with Messi in the team, contract details are set

According to Toni Juanmarti, Barcelona are planning for the next season with former captain Lionel Messi in the team.

The 35-year-old is set to become a free agent in the summer with his PSG contract on the verge of expiry. And a return to Barcelona seems to be edging closer and closer with each passing day.

Only earlier today, Gerard Romero claimed that the chances of Messi returning had risen to 80%, with Barcelona being in regular contact with La Liga to sort out their economic viability plan.

As part of the strategy to free up space for Messi on the wage bill, the Blaugrana are planning to make two important sales while imposing salary cuts on some players, claimed Romero. The transfer insider went on to add that the club are getting close to receiving a green light from the league.

Building on those reports, Toni Juanmarti is now reporting that Barcelona have already begun their planning for the next season with Messi being included in the team. He adds that the Argentine will be one step closer to joining the club if La Liga approves the economic plan.

Furthermore, the report also divulges information regarding the contract that the 35-year-old would be offered.

Barcelona’s contract offer to Messi

As per the report from Juanmarti, Barcelona wish to offer Messi a two-year contract until the summer of 2025. However, it would have the provision to part ways with one another after just one year should the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner opt to do so.

Moving to the wages part, Juanmarti is reporting that the Argentina captain would be offered a contract worth around €25 million per year, gross, which would come down to around €13 million-a-year, net.

These figures match what David Bernabeu Reverter had reported on Wednesday. It would be a quarter of what he used to earn on his previous contract at Camp Nou, but would still make the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner the highest earner at the club.

Apart from the negotiations over salary and duration, Barcelona and Messi would also have to iron out the details regarding the distribution of the player’s image rights.

It must also be noted that apart from these, the forward’s contract will also have variable components such as the percentage of profits generated from his return, among others.

The positions of both camps are said to have gotten closer, although Barça are yet to present a formal, written contract offer to their ex-captain, which he is waiting for.

That, however, will only be done after the club know how much salary limit they have. Barcelona have until April 30 to submit their economic plan to La Liga, following which the league will inform them about their Fair Play margin, based on which an offer to Messi will be tabled.

Xavi has spoken to Barcelona players about Messi’s return

Meanwhile, with Barcelona said to be planning with Messi as a part o the team, manager Xavi Hernandez is understood to have already spoken to the dressing room heavyweights about a possible return and received a positive response about the Argentine’s return.

Several players such as Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Arnau Tenas, and Ronald Araujo have spoken in public about wanting to see their former teammate back at the club.

Robert Lewandowski, who is seen as one of the leaders at Barça, has also welcomed the idea of pairing up with Messi, saying:

“Messi belongs at Barça and if he comes back it will be incredible. We know his place is here at Barcelona. I don’t know what will happen, but I hope that next season we can play together.”

Xavi himself has not been shy about talking about the reunion with his former teammate either and had said this in March:

“I talk to him a lot because he is my friend. We are dealing with the issue but there is a world between now and then, I hope we see him at home. I’m the first one who would be happy to see the best player in history return.”

And now, it seems like the stars are aligning for Messi to make a sensational comeback to Barcelona two years after having left the club.