Barcelona president Joan Laporta feels a "moral debt" to Lionel Messi as he plots a route back to the Nou Camp for the Argentine superstar.
The forward was forced to end his lengthy stay at the Nou Camp last summer when financial complications prevented Barcelona from extending his contract. Laporta made the decision, citing the need to balance the books as a reason for the player's exit.
Messi said his goodbyes in an emotional press conference that left him in tears and he would join Paris Saint-Germain just days later. Barcelona are in the midst of a rebuild phase under Xavi and Laporta, who was the president during the Pep Guardiola era, has his sights on a return for the legendary figure.
He told CBS Sports : "I feel in moral debt to Messi. He's the best player in our history and I will do my best in order to ensure he can have the best ending of his career with a Barca shirt on. I would like to bring him back. It will not be easy but I think with the correct strategy we could do it."
12 months before his exit, Messi looked to leave Barcelona, only to change his mind. In his final season, he would help the club win the Copa del Rey, but they weren't competitive enough to mount challenges in LaLiga or the Champions League.
Laporta accepts that Messi's departure was not the one he deserved, but stands by his decision. "The end of Leo at Barcelona was not the best," he claimed. "It was a difficult time. We had to take a decision and put the club above the best player in our history."
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Messi is now part of an historic PSG attack that also features Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, yet he's already spoken about heading back to Barcelona. At 35, his best years are seemingly behind him and he's discussed the prospect of an off the pitch role at the Nou Camp.
He said: "I don't know when my contract with PSG ends but we'll go back to Barcelona to live. I always said that I would love to be able to help the club ... I would love to be a technical director at some point. I don't know if it will be at Barcelona or not.
"If there is a possibility, I would like to contribute again because it's the club that I love and I would love for it to continue doing well, to continue growing and to continue being one of the best in the world."
