{"id":23676,"date":"2023-03-31T22:51:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T22:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/31\/there-is-mutual-love-messi-targeted-for-fairytale-return-but-163m-hurdle-stands-in-his-way\/"},"modified":"2023-03-31T22:51:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-31T22:51:00","slug":"there-is-mutual-love-messi-targeted-for-fairytale-return-but-163m-hurdle-stands-in-his-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/31\/there-is-mutual-love-messi-targeted-for-fairytale-return-but-163m-hurdle-stands-in-his-way\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018There is mutual love\u2019: Messi targeted for fairytale return \u2026 but $163m hurdle stands in his way"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Barcelona vice president Rafa Yuste confirmed the club is \u201cin contact\u201d with Lionel Messi\u2019s representatives as they attempt to bring the superstar back to the club.<\/p>\n<p>Messi was forced out of the Spanish giants in 2021 due to the club\u2019s precarious financial situation and signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n<p><i><b>Watch the world\u2019s best footballers every week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE coverage from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL &amp; SPFL. <a href=\"https:\/\/servedby.flashtalking.com\/click\/7\/147292;5439998;50126;211;0\/?ft_width=1&amp;ft_height=1&amp;gdpr=&amp;gdpr_consent=&amp;us_privacy=&amp;url=https:\/\/kayosports.com.au?marketing=football&amp;extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkfootball-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-ftb-kyo&amp;channel=fsa&amp;campaign=launch&amp;voucher=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New to Kayo? Start your free trial now &gt;<\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p>However, the Argentinian\u2019s deal with the French club expires at the end of the season and will no doubt spark a feeding frenzy as teams fall over one another to snap up the World Cup winner.<\/p>\n<p>One report claimed all 29 MLS clubs will collectively chip in to help pay Messi\u2019s wages just to lure him to one team in the league, while PSG have made no secret they\u2019d like to keep him.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona has now officially thrown its hat into the ring in an effort to reunite the forward with former teammate-turned-Barca-manager Xavi.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am still gutted he couldn\u2019t continue here,\u201d Yuste said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course I would like him to come back., because of what he represents on a sporting, social, economic level.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are in contact with [Messi\u2019s camp], yes. Beautiful stories should have happy endings, and there is mutual love between the two parties.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sc-11i7hbm-0 eUyOEq\"><amp-img alt=\"Barcelona powerbrokers are pushing to bring Lionel Messi back to the club in the summer. (Photo by Daniel Jayo\/Getty Images)\" src=\"https:\/\/content.api.news\/v3\/images\/bin\/33ec849ba1cba79e13d5f449927d9430\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.api.news\/v3\/images\/bin\/33ec849ba1cba79e13d5f449927d9430?width=320 320w, https:\/\/content.api.news\/v3\/images\/bin\/33ec849ba1cba79e13d5f449927d9430?width=640 640w, https:\/\/content.api.news\/v3\/images\/bin\/33ec849ba1cba79e13d5f449927d9430?width=768 768w\" layout=\"responsive\" attribution=\"test\" i-amphtml-ssr=\"\" data-hero=\"\" class=\"i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined\" i-amphtml-layout=\"responsive\"><i-amphtml-sizer style=\"display:block;padding-top:56.25%\"\/><\/amp-img><figcaption class=\"sc-11i7hbm-1 gSnntl\"><span>Barcelona powerbrokers are pushing to bring Lionel Messi back to the club in the summer. (Photo by Daniel Jayo\/Getty Images)<\/span><span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b>MORE COVERAGE<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b\/><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/football\/premier-league\/90-minutes-to-decide-title-fate-bonkers-nineteam-fourpoint-relegation-logjam-pl-state-of-play\/news-story\/f42f8aed6ad9eb3ec3065a081b461ec9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EPL State of Play: 90 mins to decide title fate; nine-team dogfight to avoid $369m black hole<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/football\/premier-league\/teams\/tottenham\/epl-2023-richarlison-slams-mutiny-claims-over-antonio-conte-sacking-tottenham-hotspur-spurs-news-premier-league\/news-story\/363231a13bbb7f9c68fd299289ceb8b2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u2018Shame on you\u2019: Brazil star hits out at \u2018mutiny\u2019 claims over Spurs\u2019 coach sacking<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/football\/sam-kerr-claims-aussie-bragging-rights-in-champions-league-thriller\/news-story\/91c35c4cab90ee49b45fc7480b92dabb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sam Kerr claims Aussie bragging rights in Champions League thriller<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Although many of the powerbrokers at the club and the fanbase dream of a Messi reunion, they must first navigate the treacherous waters that is their finances.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona must shave a staggering $AUD163 million from their annual spending, or stump up the money by selling off their players in the summer, to comply with La Liga\u2019s financial regulations so they can sign players and register contracts.<\/p>\n<p>The club has already copped one major blow on that front with La Liga preventing them from registering star midfielder Gavi on the massive contract he signed last year, meaning the star youngster remains on a youth contract and could walk for free in the summer.<\/p>\n<p>However, Yuste has faith the club will find a way to get their books in order and also be able to make a play for Messi.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe still have two months to work hard to present our revenue and sustainability plan to [La Liga president Javier] Tebas,\u201d Yuste said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t like to speak about Leo because he is a PSG player, but if all the conditions are met, we are open to the possibility. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course, there is no plan to go on the attack because we don\u2019t want PSG to see it like that. If it happens, it will be because destiny takes you back to where you have to go.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf all the conditions come together and Leo comes back to Barcelona, it would be the perfect ending to a very happy story.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/football\/there-is-mutual-love-messi-targeted-for-fairytale-return-but-163m-hurdle-stands-in-his-way\/news-story\/727e828c08be59a823e12d33cfd66d2a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Barcelona vice president Rafa Yuste confirmed the club is \u201cin contact\u201d with Lionel Messi\u2019s representatives as they attempt to bring the superstar back to the club. Messi was forced out of the Spanish giants in 2021 due to the club\u2019s precarious financial situation and signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain. Watch the world\u2019s best [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[3894,2228,1416,1800,12191,547,12185,333,1192,5544,12181,12190,1437,1429,12195,12188,12193,149,8135,1425,12194,12186,1433,358,12187,12196,1332,4683,12183,5429,2457,2902,12034,12197,12192,12184,12001,4191,4336,12182,12189],"class_list":{"0":"post-23676","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-adelaide-united","9":"tag-agence-france-presse","10":"tag-alex-conrad","11":"tag-america","12":"tag-annual-spending","13":"tag-barcelona","14":"tag-black-hole","15":"tag-brazil","16":"tag-champions-league","17":"tag-coach-sacking","18":"tag-crazy-way","19":"tag-daniel-jayo","20":"tag-efl-spfl","21":"tag-europe","22":"tag-fairytale-return","23":"tag-fanbase-dream","24":"tag-feeding-frenzy","25":"tag-football-news","26":"tag-french-club","27":"tag-getty-images-inc","28":"tag-hurdle-stands","29":"tag-javier","30":"tag-lega-calcio-serie-a","31":"tag-lionel-messi","32":"tag-mutual-love","33":"tag-nine-team-dogfight","34":"tag-paris-saint-germain","35":"tag-province-of-barcelona","36":"tag-register-contracts","37":"tag-south-america","38":"tag-southern-europe","39":"tag-spain","40":"tag-star-hits","41":"tag-sustainability-plan","42":"tag-teams-fall","43":"tag-tempers-boil","44":"tag-title-fate","45":"tag-vice-president","46":"tag-western-sydney-wanderers","47":"tag-xavi","48":"tag-youth-contract"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}