"We would need a miracle or a radical shift" - Journalist provides discouraging update on Lionel Messi's Barcelona return

Journalist Gerard Romero has provided a negative update on Lionel Messi's potential return to Barcelona.

As Messi's two-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) comes to an end, several rumors about potential moves to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Inter Miami in the MLS, or a sensational return to Barca are doing the rounds.

However, Romero reported that he received negative news regarding Lionel Messi's potential return. He said:

"I've received a negative call regarding Messi's story, and we need a miracle or a radical shift in the matter."

"It's not fully over, but very complicated due to timing."

Messi was seen with his father and agent, Jorge, attending talks along with Barcelona President Joan Laporta last week. However, it is widely known that the club will need to offload several players to lower their wage bill before making a formal offer to the Argentine's camp.

Jorge Messi, however, said they would make a decision about their next move in the 'next 48 hours'. This could be a stumbling block for Barcelona, who now face an unrealistic race against time to clear their wage structure and make an offer to sign Messi.

Inter Miami have also entered the race to acquire the 2022 World Cup winner's signature, while a move to Saudi Arabia seems unlikely at this point. Journalist Veronica Brunati has reported that the Miami-based club is closing in on a deal and have things ready on their end as they wait for a response from Lionel Messi by the end of the week.

It will be interesting to see what the Argentine does in the coming days, as Barcelona sweat over their issues.

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Lionel Messi leads Sofascore's list of highest-rated players

Following an impressive season in which Lionel Messi racked up 41 G/A in as many appearances for PSG across competitions, football statistics website Sofascore have released their list of 'Top 10 highest-rated players'.

The Argentine sits comfortably in first place with a significantly higher average rating than those below him on the list. He ended the 2022-23 campaign with an average rating of 8.11, followed by Kevin De Bruyne at 7.78 and Antoine Griezmann at 7.74.

Other notable mentions in the top 10 are Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier in fifth place, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in sixth place, and Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane in 10th place.