Lionel Messi’s dad rates chances of Barcelona return after snubbing new PSG deal

Lionel Messi’s father has played down the possibility of the World Cup winner returning to Barcelona this coming summer if he decides to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

The 35-year-old has been in excellent form this season – for club and country – and has scored or assisted 28 goals in just 24 appearances across both Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

Despite his excellent displays for the Parisians, French newspaper L’Equipe claim he is ‘less and less tempted’ to remain at the club beyond the end of this season.

Messi is out of contract in the summer, when he can leave on a free transfer, though there is the option to extend his stay by an additional year if all parties agree.

PSG had hoped to convince him to stay even longer than that, but so far the Argentina international is yet to accept the proposal and talks have hit an impasse.

That has prompted increasing reports that he could move to Major League Soccer in the summer – where he would have no end of suitors – while a potential return to Camp Nou has also been mooted.

But now Messi’s father Jorge, who also acts as his agent, has distanced his son from the reports and suggests Barcelona do not have the financial capabilities to afford him.

‘I don’t think Leo will play for Barcelona again,’ Jorge told Spanish newspaper Sport as he flew out of the Catalan city on Thursday afternoon.

‘The conditions are not met. We have not spoken with [Barcelona president Joan] Laporta and there is no offer on the table.’

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