Media reports of Lionel Messi’s agent and father, Jorge Messi, entering the home of Barcelona president Juan Laporta have sparked speculation in Spain that Messi’s future may be changing.
“Messi’s father has met with Laporta,” Juan Martí, a journalist for Spanish outlet Relevo, reported on social media on Friday.
“He is meeting at Laporta’s house to discuss the possibility of Messi’s return,” Marti said, adding that the meeting between Jorge Messi and Laporta could lead to Messi’s next destination being Barcelona.
Messi announced his departure from Paris Saint-Germain on March 3, confirming that he will leave the club as a free agent after this season. With the announcement of his departure, all eyes have been on Messi’s next destination.
The most likely destination so far is Saudi Arabia. Saudi league side Al-Hilal have offered Messi a €400 million ($560 million) salary to lure him to the Middle East. In recent days, it has been reported that Al-Hilal is ready to announce the signing of Messi on June 6, and if Messi accepts the offer, the official announcement will be made shortly thereafter, keeping soccer fans around the world in suspense 메이저사이트.
However, the next 24-48 hours are considered crucial for Messi’s fate, as he has made it clear that he still wants to play in Europe and has reportedly withheld the offer from Alhilal to wait for other offers, including from his hometown club Barcelona.
In the meantime, Messi’s father and agent, Jorge Messi, traveled to Laporta’s home to meet with the president. If, as reported, Messi’s return was discussed, Barcelona’s efforts appear to have paid off.
However, if Messi chooses Barcelona over Al-Hilal, he will have to play on an almost “pro bono” weekly wage instead of the astronomical salary offered by the Saudis.
Barcelona have been trying to get their financial house in order in order to sign Messi, but so far they’ve been unable to do so quickly enough and have been stymied by the lack of players and wage cuts.
There have been reports in Spain and the U.K. that Messi would play for free if he could return to Barcelona, so the weekly wage itself may not be a big factor in his decision to return.
Some believe that Messi and his father’s pretense to seek out and negotiate with Barcelona is a “cover story” for a move to Saudi Arabia.
With Messi torn between Barcelona and Al-Hilal, it will be interesting to see if the meeting between his father and Laporta can fulfill the fantasy of a return to the club.