Lionel Messi: Lionel Messi’s departure from PSG has been confirmed and now he will take a call on his future next week. Amid his links with Barcelona, Xavi gives his full support to the Argentine to join the club in the summer. Barcelona coach also addressed rumours about Bernardo Silva and Joshua Kimmich.
Barcelona are keen to sign their legend. The PSG forward is leaving the club at the end of this month. He will soon take part in his final match with PSG. His contract expires in the summer and the World Cup winner is not in the mood to extend this. PSG is also looking for the future as they are fine with Messi’s departure.
Meanwhile, Messi is also getting interest from Saudi Arabia. He has been offered a €500 million (£435m/$541m) salary. The Catalan giants are still finding option to get him back at Camo Nou. However, it would require them to rework their financial situation.
Barcelona boss Xavi admitted that Messi will always be welcome at Camp Nou but the final decision rests on him. As per reports, Barca have requested Messi to hold on until Monday before making a decision and Xavi opened up on the same lines that the former Barca legend will make a final call sometime next week.
Xavi spoke to Mundo Deportivo: “I have already said many times, he has the doors open here, I am the coach and I know that he will help us if he decides to come, but in the end I think we have to leave him a little alone. He ends the season there, he has a lot of respect for Paris Saint-Germain, he wants to finish in the best way, his contract ends and then he has earned all the right in the world to say where to go, where to end his career.”
He also added, “I think that he has football to continue at a high level and that if he comes to Barça, what most or all of the Catalans want, especially the coach, the doors are open, I am convinced that he is going to do well.
Xavi gave a hint on Messi’s decision and said, “He told me that next week he will make a decision and we have to leave him alone. In the end, if we talk about Leo every day, every day, I think he doesn’t add up either. In the end he will decide next week and now there are 200 hypotheses. In the end, he will decide his future and here the doors are open, there is no more debate.”
Barcelona have also been linked with Bernardo Silva, Joshua Kimmich, and Martin Zubimendi. Sergio Busquets has already decided that he is leaving the club. Xavi has to deal in other areas such as midfield.
“It would be wonderful, but he is also a City player, very difficult,” Xavi insisted when asked about the possibility of getting Man City’s Silva.
And if we talk about Messi’s future after PSG, next week might give us big news. He may think about the return to Barcelona as he has the full support of Laporta and Xavi.
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