It would be ‘financially possible’ for Barcelona to re-sign Lionel Messi in 2023

Barcelona vice-president of economy Eduard Romeu has revealed that it is financially ‘possible’ for Lionel Messi to make a sensational return to Barcelona next summer.

Messi left Barcelona last summer to join PSG amid the Catalan giants’ financial troubles, but his contract with the Ligue 1 side is due to expire in 2023.

The Argentine striker is set to make a decision on his future after the World Cup in Qatar, and Romeu says Barcelona can afford to bring Messi back to Camp Nou.

“It would be financially possible because if he came back it would be as a free agent,” Romeu told El Mati de Catalunya radio.

“But it’s a decision that has to be made by the coaching staff and the player.” it doesn’t suit me [to make those decisions], but it would be viable. Even though I don’t have it in the budget.

“He is an icon of the club. It will always be his home, but it will be a technical decision [if he returns].’

Despite his comments on the possibility of re-signing Messi, Romeu admitted that Barcelona are still two years away from being in a sound financial position.

“We saved Barca, but we still haven’t solved it. We don’t have it healthy; it involves a lot of austerity, a lot of rigor and there’s a lot of work to be done,” he said. he added.

“In the 2024/25 season we will be at the level that suits us.”

Romeu refused to comment on Barcelona’s chances of landing Messi, but the 35-year-old playmaker recently said he was “having fun” in Paris, hinting he could extend his stay in the French capital.

“I feel good, different from last year and I knew it was going to be like this,” Messi told reporters.

“Last year, as I said before, I had a bad time, I never finished finding myself but this year it’s different. I arrived with a different head, more accommodated to the club, in the locker room, in the game, to my teammates.

“The truth is, I’m feeling great and having fun again.”