‘Everything was ready’ - Xavi claims Barcelona president blocked Messi’s move back to Camp Nou

Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after the club could not approve a new deal due to financial and structural obstacles regarding Spanish La Liga regulations.

He moved to Paris Saint-Germain and went on to win the French Ligue 1 before leaving for Inter Miami.

Before his move to the US, Barcelona had the chance to sign the Argentine while Xavi was the manager, but the club president opposed the move.

The legendary midfielder, in a series of candid revelations, successfully orchestrated Dani Alves's return during his tenure as coach. 

However, his ambitious goal of reuniting with other club icons, such as Messi, was ultimately thwarted by executive decisions and significant financial constraints.

Xavi shed light on his attempts to bring some of Barcelona's most celebrated former players back to the club. 

While he managed to re-sign Dani Alves, efforts to repatriate Neymar, Pedro, and most notably, Lionel Messi ultimately failed. 

The revelation about Messi is particularly striking, as it contradicts the prevailing narrative surrounding the Argentine's move to Inter Miami.

Speaking on a YouTube channel, Xavi detailed the failed transfers. "As Barcelona manager, I brought back Dani Alves and tried to bring Neymar, Pedro and Messi back as well," he said. 

"Pedro and Neymar couldn’t be signed because of the economic situation. As for Messi, the president didn’t want him back. 

“We tried to sign Messi in 2023. We talked for five months, and everything was ready, but in the end, the president said no."