Earlier this month, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta made the sensational claim that e is open to bringing back both Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta following the arrivals of Xavi Hernandez as manager and Dani Alves as a returning player. However, it has now been revealed that Messi is not planning on coming back to the Camp Nou anytime soon.

Headlines were buzzing when Xavi and Alves reunited at their old stomping ground, leading many to hope that Messi and Iniesta will be tempted to stage a reunion with their old mates. However, Messi signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain this summer after Barcelona failed to offer him a new contract due to their financial crisis.

Messi has therefore locked himself in with the French giants until 2023, and Barcelona certainly can't buy him out.

Messi is taking his PSG career seriously and wants to help the club achieve their dream of winning the UEFA Champions League. He said as much after the recent international break where his commitment to PSG has been put in question. "Now it's time to change the chip because I still want to help achieve all the objectives we have set ourselves at PSG and I want to focus on that and work hard to make it happen," he said, as quoted by AS.

He was also clearly delighted to have finally scored a Ligue 1 goal for the club on Saturday against Nantes. "I'm very happy to have scored my first goal. We created a lot of chances. We didn't show any fear but the result was a little while in coming for us. I'm happy to have got off the mark in Ligue 1," he said after the 3-1 win.

Meanwhile, Iniesta is currently a key player for Vissel Kobe in Japan.

Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi Photo: AFP / CHRISTOPHE SIMON
Lionel Messi Barcelona FC