Lionel Messi 'really wanted to come back to Barcelona' before opting for Inter Miami

Lionel Messi said he "really wanted" to return to Barcelona this summer but had concerns similar issues would arise that led to his surprise exit from the club in 2021.

Messi, 35, revealed on Wednesday that he has agreed to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, ending months of speculation regarding his future after it became clear he would leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of this month.

Argentina's World Cup-winning captain reportedly had three possible options on the table: Inter Miami, a hugely lucrative move to Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal, or a return to boyhood club Barcelona.

There was growing confidence that Messi would accept Hilal's reported $400 million per year offer, but sources in Saudi later told The National that they were not expecting him to play in the Saudi Pro League, where he would join long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Hilal's rivals Al Nassr.

Any move to Barca, where Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer with 672, would involve the Spanish champions needing to make several financial adjustments to accommodate his return, which would reportedly include selling several players and requiring others to take pay cuts.

Barcelona found themselves in a similar situation when attempting to renew Messi's contract in 2021, which led to his shock exit and move to PSG.

"I really wanted to come back [to Barcelona], I was really looking forward to it," Messi said in an interview with Spanish newspapers Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo.

"But, on the other hand, after having lived through what I lived through, after the exit I had ... I didn't want to go through the same situation again and have to wait to see what was going to happen.

"I heard that they had to