Transfer Update: Lionel Messi

With Lionel Messi still reportedly wanting to return to Barcelona, there appears to have been a significant new development over his future. 

While the Catalan giants are believed to have had their financial plans green-lit by La Liga, it seems they are still not able to formalise an offer for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner. 

Messi, 35, is said to desire a move back to his boyhood club, but is reportedly reluctant to wait for a proposal as he wants to decide his future as soon as possible. The Blaugrana would reportedly need to sell one or two players in order to re-sign the Argentine, and it appears they are still some way off doing that.  Sport has now reported it is becoming increasingly unlikely that Messi will return to the LaLiga champions as a free agent in the coming days. 

The Spanish outlet claims the club believes the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner is likely to rather accept an offer from either Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia or MLS side Inter Miami, the only two sides to have tabled proposals for Messi at this stage.

It was confirmed this past weekend that the forward will be leaving Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the expiration of his deal in France in June.