Barcelona’s plan to sign Leo Messi in January

Taking advantage of being in the 1 to 1 La Liga spending rule at the moment, Barcelona are thinking about accelerating a potential return for Lionel Messi to the winter window. Just after the draw with Inter Milan which left Barcelona with one foot out of the Champions League, president Joan Laporta announced he had a plan with Lionel Messi.

First he said that "on Sunday it will be 18 years since he made his debut for Barcelona, we are thinking about making some gesture in private. Surely I'll see him on Monday in Paris at the Ballon d'Or gala" and later he added that "surely we will do something to recognise that he's the best player in the history of Barca". He continued: "Leo's era did not end how we all wanted. We have a moral debt to him and we ould like that the end of his career would be in the Barca shirt."

Laporta wants Messi back in the inter window, taking advantage of the current fair play situation. Next summer Barca will likely be on the 1-4 rule which will make it harder.

So the goal is to sign Messi in January, but the mission is hard for various reasons.

The main one being PSG won't want to let him go midway through the season. He has a contract and they will have to negotiate with Nasser Al Khelaifi. 

And two, PSG, given their relationshop with Barca, will not want to do them any favours. 

Three, Messi is focused on his season with PSG and the World Cup.

For these reasons, the operation seems impossible. Barca have not yet contacted the player. Some collaborator close to the president has tried without success, with neither Messi nor PSG picking up the phone.

Laporta did not get to meet with Messi at the Ballon d'Or. 

Barca are conscious that time is against them, now we're ending October.