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XAVI REVEALS DECIDING FACTOR IN LIONEL MESSI'S BARCELONA RETURN

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A year ago




Xavi says that Barcelona are  only  waiting on Lionel Messi to  sign off on a sensational  return to Camp Nou this summer.


Messi  was  forced  to leave Barca in 2021 after  nearly  two  decades on their books  as the  club  were  not  able to  register his  contract with La Liga  due to strict  financial restrictions.


The Argentine  forward headed to PSG on a free transfer,  but his spell at Parc des Princes has  not  gone  according to plan.


PSG have  won  back-to- back Ligue 1 titles  but have  continued to underperform  in the Champions League, and Messi  is set  to walk away after  just  two years  in the French capital.


90min  understands that Barcelona are  confident of finalising a deal  in line with La Liga to  bring Messi  back to Catalonia,  though they do face  significant  competition from Saudi Pro League  side Al Hilal,  who are  ready to make him the highest-paid footballer of all time.


Reports in France  claim that Al Hilal's  offer to Messi  could see him earn  more than €1bn,  while  there's rumours that Barcelona  want Inter Miami to  help facilitate a Camp Nou  return  by signing and loaning him  back to La Blaugrana.


However, Xavi has insisted that the  only  thing Barca are  waiting on is for Messi to  sign a  contract,  but  every  other  part of the deal is in place.


"Our  fans  started  to mention Leo Messi’s  name at  every game…I  like the feeling. But  trust me, the comeback of Leo Messi  only  depends on him," Xavi  told Catalan outlet TV3. "I'd say that it  depends 99% on Messi. I  have no doubts on  football  point of view -  it's  up to Leo."


Xavi  recently  discussed in a separate interview with Spanish publication SPORT how Messi's  return  could be accomodated tactically, saying: ""Leo  could play in  various positions: as a  false nine, as a winger, as an  inside player, even at  the base of midfield coming in to make the  final pass.


"Perhaps he has been  losing his explosiveness,  but we  also  saw an  extraordinary Messi  at the World Cup, with explosiveness. In the  end I  think he  still has years  ahead of him, at  a very  high level. Today  there is  no doubt that he  would  help us.


Messi scored the  crucial  goal in PSG's 1-1 draw away at Strasbourg on Sunday  to hand them a  record  11th Ligue 1 title - the strike  also  saw him  become the all-time  record scorer in Europe's  top  five leagues, overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo's  total of 495. 

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