Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez expects Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi to decide on his future soon.
Messi is ready to leave Les Parisiens after only two seasons but has not decided on his next club.
The 35-year-old wants to return to Barcelona, but the deal may not happen due to the club’s dire financial situation.
La Liga has barred Barca from signing and registering new players until they raise around €180 million.
Barcelona are still pushing to raise the money they need. The Catalans have freed up some wages by letting Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique leave.
They were among the top earners, and Alba even forfeited the €38 million the club owes him in deferred wages.
However, if Barcelona fail to raise the money they need to sign and register Messi, he has a mega offer from Saudi Arabia.
He also has interest from Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham.
Xavi wants his former teammate Messi back at Barca. It is now up to the player to decide where he wants to be.
He said (via the National News): “For me, there is no doubt that if Messi returns, he will help us in a football sense.
“That’s what I’ve let the president know and I have no doubts that he will help us. Because he continues to be a decisive footballer – because he’s still hungry and still a winner. Because he’s a leader and because he’s also a different player.
“We don’t have a Barca with the talent at the level of the 2010 side, for example, and what would Messi give you?
“He would give you talent, the final pass, dead ball, goals. In the final third, he’s a different player.
“I think Leo is calling the shots at the moment – I don’t have any doubt. I’m talking to him. It’s true that we’ve won in the post-Messi era and that has extraordinary merit.
“With the relationship I have with him, I stay very clear – he has the door open here.”
