Barcelona's season has come to a conclusion, and the majority of the Catalans' fan base is likely pleased to see it go for another year. This season was not as bad as expected, but it finished much better than it had started.
When Lionel Messi left to move to Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in the summer of 2021 and the squad appeared adrift without him, there was nothing to celebrate at Camp Nou as arch-rivals Real Madrid achieved a Liga and UEFA Champions League double.
Thanks to Xavi Hernandez, the side had at least recovered enough to qualify for next season's Champions League. However, aside from a thrilling second match of the 2021-22 La Liga season against Real Madrid, the Blaugrana rebuilding campaign was mostly forgettable.
How Messi could go back to Barcelona and when
It was up to the rest of the Barcelona team to step up while Lionel Messi was out of action. Since that hasn't worked out quite yet, president Joan Laporta has another plan.
A free transfer in 2023 for the Argentine is apparently being considered by Barcelona in the event that Messi decides to leave PSG and not sign a new deal with the club. The 2021 Copa America winner has previously said that he would continue in France next season, although his contract expires in June 2023 with the option of a further 12 months.
It would be difficult for Barca to say no to Messi returning on a Bosman deal next summer if his salaries were not a problem, according to ESPN's Samuel Marsden. In addition, the club's current boss Xavi is expected to have a major role in whether the Argentine returns to his previous side.
According to previous comments from the Catalan giant's president Laporta, the 34-year-old forward would only make a comeback for free. According to the report, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Newcastle are all capable of bringing him to their respective Premier League clubs.
