Lionel Messi will be handed Barcelona captaincy if he returns to the club this summer: Reports

Lionel Messi will reportedly become the club captain once again should he return to Barcelona. The dressing room has no objection to the Argentine taking the armband and is happy to welcome the Argentine back.

As per a report in AS, Messi will be reinstated as the Barcelona club captain if he rejoins the club. Sergi Roberto and Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be the only captains left at the club next season, with three others leaving.

Gerard Pique has retired, while Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets have announced they will be leaving the club. The trio's exit is set to be crucial in the return of Messi as their wages going off the books has helped the club inch closer to the La Liga limits.

Barcelona are in talks with Lionel Messi and the club's sporting vice-president Rafael Yuste has confirmed that the Argentine is interested in returning to Camp Nou.

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Lionel Messi has unfulfilled promises at Barcelona

Lionel Messi was appointed the Barcelona captain at the start of the 2018/19 season after midfielder Andreas Iniesta left the club. The Argentine was happy to take over the role and claimed that he is proud to be leading his club.

He was quoted by Bleacher Report saying:

"I'm very proud to be captain, I know what it means to be captain of this club. I have been lucky to have such great models in my time here; firstly with Carles Puyol, then Xavi Hernandez and then the great Andres Iniesta. We will miss him this season, but I will not shy away from this responsibility."

The Barcelona legend went on to promise that they would be working to bring the UEFA Champions League trophy back to Camp Nou. However, he could not manage to do it before he had to leave for PSG in 2021. Lionel Messi had added:

"Regarding this year [2018/19], I think we have set a platform to get excited, the signings that came will help us a lot to be better than we were. Although last year we won La Liga and the Copa del Rey, we all got stung in the Champions League. We promise that we will do everything possible so that this beautiful cup returns to the Camp Nou again."

Lionel Messi will be keen on helping the Catalan side get back to the top of the European competition, from which they were knocked out in the group stages this season.