Barcelona have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of Lionel Messi, with the Catalan outfit determined to bring the Argentina international back to Camp Nou this summer.
The 35-year-old's contract at Paris Saint-Germain is due to expire at the end of June, and there has been a host of talk linking him with a return to the club that he departed on a free transfer in 2021.
Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste has confirmed that his club have been in touch with Messi's representatives to discuss a return to Camp Nou.
"We've been in contact with Leo Messi's camp. Leo knows how much we appreciate him and I'd love for him to come back," Yuste told reporters. "For sure Messi loves Barca and the city, so we hope to find the right conditions to continue his history here."
Barcelona boss Xavi also said that he wants to see the World Cup winner return "home" when questioned on a possible move during his press conference on Friday.
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According to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga leaders have stepped up their pursuit in recent days, with the club now going on the 'offensive' in a bid to re-sign him.
The report claims that Messi, who picks up in the region of £740,000 a week in Paris, is keen to return to Barcelona, but he would likely have to accept a pay cut for that to become a reality.
The Argentine is widely regarded as the best player in Barcelona's history, scoring 672 goals and registered 302 assists in 777 appearances for the club between 2004 and 2021.
The Catalan outfit's financial problems led to them losing the World Cup winner, and he has represented PSG on 66 occasions over the last couple of years, scoring 29 goals and registering 32 assists.
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Clubs from Saudi Arabia and the MLS are keen to sign Messi this summer, while PSG have not given up hope of convincing him to extend his stay in the French capital.
The Ligue 1 club's president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has said that he will do everything possible in a bid to sign the experienced forward to a new contract.
Messi has featured on 32 occasions for PSG during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 18 goals and registering 17 assists in the process, but he could not prevent the club from being knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by Bayern Munich.
Barcelona will likely have to make some first-team sales this summer to afford to bring Messi back to the club, with Ansu Fati currently being linked with a move to Manchester United, and his father has urged him to leave Camp Nou in the upcoming market.
Matt Law
