Lionel Messi is Barcelona’s top free transfer target for the summer of 2023 – report

Ever since Barcelona director Mateu Alemany confirmed during the club’s General Assembly that they will continue to look for top free agents in the market, there have been a lot of rumours flying around, linking the Catalans with almost every notable player whose contract runs out in 2023.

There have been rumours of interest in Chelsea duo N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, Athletic Club star Inigo Martinez and Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot, among several others.

However, according to SPORT, while Barcelona will look to scour the market for free transfer opportunities, their top target for the summer of 2023 remains former captain Lionel Messi. The report states that ‘it is clear’ that Barça will try to get Messi back.

The Catalans are said to be ‘determined’ to re-sign the club legend when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the ongoing season, even though they are aware that it will not be an easy operation.

Barça have made no secret of their desire to bring the Argentina international back to Spotify Camp Nou, with president Joan Laporta admitting in the recent past that the 35-year-old’s chapter at the club was not over.

Attempts are being made to mend the broken relationship between the president and the former captain, following the manner of his exit last year.

While there have been reports indicating that Messi will return to the club, a decision on his future is likely to emerge only in 2023, once the FIFA World Cup in Qatar is out of the way.

Should he make a comeback to Catalonia, Messi is unlikely to settle for a secondary role in the team. So, it will certainly be intriguing to see how manager Xavi Hernandez plans to accommodate his former teammate back at the club.

But, as things stand, Barcelona are fully committed to re-signing the seven-time Ballon d’Or on a Bosman deal when his contract expires in the summer of 2023.

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