Barcelona are rumoured to be looking to offload three players in order to fund a summer move for PSG ace Lionel Messi. According to the Spanish news outlet Fichajes, the Catalans are willing to take Franck Kessie, Raphinha, and Andreas Christensen off the books in order to raise finances for their Argentine hero.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona for PSG in August 2021, but a comeback to Camp Nou has been discussed ever since. With his contract with the Parisians set to end in June, his future has once again been called into question. And it is now expected in the French capital that the 35-year-old will leave for free at the end of the season, just as he joined them in the summer on 2021.
Barca accelerate efforts to re-sign Lionel Messi after PSG decision
Lionel Messi signed a two-year contract with the French club as a free agent in the summer of 2021, and while he is on track to help them win consecutive Ligue 1 titles, Champions League glory has proven elusive. PSG are in no rush to renew the Argentine superstar’s contract, which expires in two months.
The news comes as club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi works to make PSG a more financially sustainable project, with fewer big-name players and a greater emphasis on young French talent. Barcelona are hoping to sign Messi this summer, with the Catalan club’s transfer officials acknowledging communication with the player’s team about a possible return to the team Nou.
Messi and his team are aware of the speculation, but no formal approach has been made. The Argentine’s future is now primarily determined by Barcelona’s financial predicament. The Catalans must make significant financial savings by selling some players before registering any new recruits this summer, although they intend to sign numerous free agents this summer.
As a result, Kessie is allegedly on the transfer list after failing to secure a starting spot despite spurts of brilliance. He is still a valuable player in the market, with Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur rumoured to be keeping an eye on his status. Raphinha, who has only scored nine goals for the team in 42 games this season, is another player who could be let go.
However, given that he is still only 26, a transfer may net them a considerable sum, as his current market value is between €50 and €60 million. Christensen may possibly be offloaded to make room for Lionel Messi. The Dane has been a major component in Barcelona’s defence this season, so much so that he’s become a target for a number of Premier League clubs.
After signing Christensen on a free transfer last summer, the La Liga heavyweights will profit handsomely from his sale, with the centre-back roughly valued at €50 million. There are reports suggesting that Messi is willing to accept a large wage cut in order to achieve a dramatic comeback. Unlike last summer, teams will be unable to sell their own assets to meet their transfer budgets. This was a mechanism, which Barca referred to as “financial levers.”
Messi’s future will now be determined by Barcelona’s financial status and the number of possible summer signings permitted by La Liga. Because of this uncertainty, Messi extending his contract with PSG should not be ruled out totally, but the current situation indicates that this is a choice between the player and club that will most likely come after all other options have been exhausted.