Barcelona and Al-Hilal set to miss out as Lionel Messi closes in on finalizing next move: Reports 

Barcelona and Al-Hilal could miss out on top target Lionel Messi in a dramatic turn of events as the Argentine could instead sign for Inter Miami.

There were talks between Messi, his father, Jorge, and Barca President Joan Laporta regarding a sensational return to the Camp Nou. However, the move has been delayed as the club needs to lower its current wage bill before making an offer.

Barcelona have been keen on bringing Lionel Messi back to the club ever since reports about him delaying contract talks with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) emerged. However, the club will first need to make several sales before they can approach the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner with a formal offer.

Jorge Messi has already stated they are likely to make a decision in the next 48 hours so this could spell trouble for Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami have made significant progress in their talks with Lionel Messi's camp and are the frontrunners, according to journalist Veronica Brunati. Another journalist, Sebastian Quadrelli, also claims that the Miami-based club has everything in place regarding its offer and is expecting an 'OK' from the player's camp later this week.

Quadrelli added that the possibility of a potential move to Saudi Arabia has diminished, while Messi's camp has reservations about returning to Barcelona given the nature of his exit two years ago.

It will be interesting to see whether Lionel Messi chooses to play in the MLS with Inter Miami or make a return to the Camp Nou, where it all began.

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Lionel Messi's staggering numbers at Barcelona

As the saga of Lionel Messi's exit from PSG continues to develop, let's take a look at his stunning numbers during his nearly two decades as a Barcelona player.

Messi joined the club's youth academy, La Masia, as a 12-year-old from Newell's Old Boys' academy in Argentina. He progressed through the ranks over the next four years, representing the club's 'B' and 'C' teams, before making his debut for the main team in 2004. During his 17 years in the first team, Messi made 778 appearances for the club, scoring 672 goals and providing 303 assists.

He ended his Barca career as the club's all-time top goalscorer, as well as the player with the most appearances for the club. As of May 2021, he was La Liga's all-time top scorer with 474 goals in 520 games and also holds the single-season record of 50 goals (2011-12). He also ended his Barca career as the player with the highest number of goals in the El Clasico, with 26.