"They should be thinking of how he can return" – Former Barcelona presidential candidate feels club should re-sign Lionel Messi in 2023

In a recent interview with RAC1, former Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font spoke about how the club can work towards Lionel Messi returning to the club. According to Font, Messi shouldn't have left Barcelona in the manner in which he did. He said:

"He deserved to go out in style. From the moment he left, the club should have been thinking how Messi can return to Barca in 2023."

Many at Barcelona will certainly agree with Font's first comment: Messi certainly deserved to go out in style. After dedicating the bulk of his career to the Catalan giants and breaking multiple records, the Argentine maestro was forced out of Camp Nou due to Barca's inability to keep him on their wage bill.

The star notably offered to take a 50% pay cut to aid the side. However, even that amount was too much for Barca who have vast debts of over €1 billion to manage.

As for Messi's potential return in 2023, Font has only echoed what the star has already hinted at. When his PSG contract expires in the summer of 2023, there's a strong chance that Messi will rejoin his childhood club, which he mentioned while discussing his next career move in an interview with Sport. Messi said:

"I don't know if that'll happen when my PSG contract is up. What's almost confirmed and certain is that we'll return to Barcelona to live and our lives will be there. That's what my wife and I want. I don't know what'll happen when my PSG contract ends but we'll go back to live in Barcelona.

Messi added:

"I've always said I'd love to be able to help the club do well in any way that I can be useful. I'd love to be a technical director at some point. I don't know if that'll be at Barcelona or if it might work out differently. If the option is there, I'd love to contribute again in any way that I can because it's the club that I love and I'd love it to keep doing well, growing and remain one of the best in the world."

He's an asset to the club: Victor Font on Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez

Xavi Hernandez Unveiled As New FC Barcelona FC Head Coach

Xavi was unveiled as Barcelona's new manager at Camp Nou yesterday and Victor Font is positive about the former midfielder's influence on the club. The former presidential candidate congratulated the club for the appointment while admiring Xavi for his ideas and work ethic. Font commented:

"Monday was an exciting day. Xavi will take the club forward because he knows how to work and has very clear ideas. He's an asset to the club. I celebrate as much as anyone that the people running the club now coincide with what we thought. It is a shame to have lost these months but we have to congratulate everyone for the fact Xavi is finally leading the sporting project."