Lionel Messi return to Europe advancing with unveiling date set by gigantic club

Steve Pearson 20 Mar 2025 2:58 PM

Inter Miami attacker Lionel Messi

Plans to bring Lionel Messi back to European football are already underway, with a report revealing which gigantic club are putting the pieces in place and when they expect the Argentine to make his debut.

Messi is arguably the greatest footballer who ever lived and aged 37, is still a world class operator. The Argentine icon took his talents to America in 2023 following an unconvincing spell in Paris that only arose due to Barcelona’s financial strife.

The Spanish giants are finally putting their house back in order and according to a stunning update from TNT Sports, are making a play to bring Messi back to Catalonia.

Messi’s existing contract with Inter Miami is due to expire at the end of 2025. The deal does not contain an option for an extra season and the current MLS campaign may well prove to be his last.

The report stated Barcelona ‘intends to return Lionel Messi to the club’ and put right the wrongs regarding his emotional exit in 2021.

Barcelona have already set about slowly preparing for Messi’s return, with a re-arrival after the 2026 World Cup and ahead of the 2026/27 LaLiga season in mind.

Another motivating factor for Barcelona is their quest to bring Messi back to coincide with the renovated Camp Nou fully opening for business.

Barcelona have been temporarily playing at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys while work is ongoing and aim to play competitive fixtures at the Camp Nou later this season.

However, the current expectation is that even if Barca do return home this year, they’ll be operating with a limited capacity or just above 60,000 while the finishing touches are applied.

The current projection is for renovations to be fully completed ahead of the 2026/27 campaign and that’s when Barcelona hope to unveil Messi.

On the subject of whether Barcelona’s grand plans are actually viable and whether Messi can be convinced to return, TNT Sports summarised the situation.

The report concluded: ‘The truth is that Messi’s return to Barcelona would not be an easy task, but the club wants to “slowly prepare” for his return.

‘Leo would have a number of conditions attached to this transfer, but they are preparing a manoeuvre so that, in the medium term, the Argentine will consider returning to Barca.’