Lionel Messi has reportedly been ignoring phone calls from Barcelona president Joan Laporta as he continues to avoid any contact with his former club.
Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract a year ago from Barcelona as a free agent. The sensational move played out after the Catalan giants were unable to register the Argentine superstar with a new contract due to strict Financial Fair Play compliance laws by La Liga. His contract at PSG will expire this summer.
The 35-year-old believes that he was misled by Laporta and Barca’s board throughout the summer with the relationship never healing between the parties since. Messi’s return next year remains a priority for the Blaugrana but the player is refusing to speak to them regarding the possibility.
As outlined by Sport, Messi has been refusing to answer phone calls made on behalf of a negotiator close to Laporta. Meanwhile, the Barca president had planned to meet with his former star player during his visit to the Ballon d’Or awards in Paris earlier this month – but such attempts were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, a separate report from Sport makes it clear that Messi is currently focused on continuing his strong run of form and playing well in this winter’s World Cup. He has a contract renewal offer on the table from PSG and he has no intention of considering a transfer anytime soon.
The Argentine star has been on fire in front of goal this campaign for Les Parisiens and has already netted 11 goals across all competitions this season. That means he has already equalled his tally in his debut season in Paris, as he appears to have rediscovered his top form in the French capital.
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His exit from the Camp Nou before the start of last season coincided with the club enduring a trophyless campaign. They tumbled out of the Champions League in the group stages, exited the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage and finished a distant second to Real Madrid in La Liga.
This season saw expectations at the club once again go up several levels due to a series of high-profile signings. Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Marcos Alonso, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen were among a glut of arrivals, building on a busy January, which saw Ferran Torres added to the squad.
However, Barca have not been without troubles this season with this midweek’s Champions League exit another clear reminder of how far they still have to go. Xavi Hernandez’s side are second in La Liga, three points behind leaders Real Madrid. Barcelona fans chanted the name of Messi during their Champions League elimination earlier this week - showing the fans desire to see his return to the Camp Nou.
