Soap opera of Messi’s future likely to grow in coming season

Lionel Messi may have been the talk of last summer’s transfer window, but when Paris Saint-Germain kick off their defense of Ligue 1 title on Saturday night against Clermont Foot 63, he will have a somewhat more low-key start to the new season.

The drama this summer lies with his great rival from Portugal. The summer of 2022 transfer window is not over yet, but we can already say it has been dominated by the soap opera of Cristiano Ronaldo, regardless of where he ends up playing in the 2022-23 season.

But just like the two have exchanged Ballon d’Or awards over the last decade and a half, next summer’s transfer window could well be about the Argentine again, at least if Joan Laporta’s recent statements are anything to go by.

The Barcelona president has made clear his desire to have back the club’s dearest son back at Camp Nou.

Laporta hopes that Messi, whose career at PSG has not quite gone as expected, has not yet finished his love story with Barça and is open to a return.

“I feel indebted to Messi,” the Catalan told ESPN. “It is our responsibility to ensure that history remains open and has a much more splendid ending than it did.”

Laporta lamented the way Messi left the club, blaming the previous management, which had left Barcelona with the serious financial problems that he has inherited.

With each financial impasse, Barcelona have tried to cure the situation by activating the now-infamous economic “levers.”

Laporta has managed to raise around €650 million ($662 million) with the sale of 25 percent of the TV rights to the company Sixth Street for 25 years.

This has given the club some breathing space, but with several new players coming in — such as Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kunde and Raphina — and needing