Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Lionel Messi not planning return, Catalans eyeing Bundesliga ace, and more

Barcelona are putting together final preparations ahead of the Champions League semifinal first leg against Inter Milan on Wednesday, April 30, at home. The Catalans arrive at the game buoyed by their Copa del Rey triumph over Real Madrid last weekend.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is not planning to return to Camp Nou at the moment. Elsewhere, the Catalans are interested in a Bundesliga full-back.

On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from April 29, 2025.

Lionel Messi not planning Barcelona return

Lionel Messi is not planning to return to Barcelona amid a strained relationship with the current club hierarchy, according to SPORT. The Argentine's contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of this year and he has been linked with a spectacular reunion with the Catalans next year.

La Pulga rose through the ranks at Camp Nou and went on to become the club's greatest ever player. He has scored the most goals (672) and registered the most assists (303) for the LaLiga giants in their history.

However, the manner of his departure in 2021 has scarred fans. Barcelona failed to renew Lionel Messi's contract in the summer of 2021, forcing him to bid a teary goodbye to the club of his life.

And while La Pulga has been linked with a return to Camp Nou multiple times, the move is unlikely as long as the current upper management remains in power. Meanwhile, the Argentine also remains settled in the MLS with Inter Miami and is expected to sign a new deal.

Catalans eyeing Alejandro Grimaldo

Barcelona are planning to bring Alejandro Grimaldo back to Camp Nou, according to Sky Deutschland. The Catalans are looking to add more competition to the left-back position before the start of the new campaign.

Alejandro Balde has been a revelation this season, but there's lack of a proper backup for the Spaniard in the squad. The LaLiga giants want to address the situation by roping in former player Grimaldo, who has turned his career around since leaving Camp Nou in 2016.

The 29-year-old is now one of the best left-backs in the Bundesliga and has turned heads at Barcelona as well. Grimaldo has registered four goals and 12 assists from 45 games across competitions this season.

The Catalans believe he could be a fine fit in Hansi Flick's squad. However, Bayer Leverkusen want €30-40m for the player, which, given the LaLiga giants' fragile financial condition, could pose a problem.

Hansi Flick agrees new deal

Barcelona are planning to announce Hansi Flick's renewal next month, according to journalist Patrick Berger. The German manager took charge at Camp Nou last summer and has transformed the club's fortunes.

Flick has helped the Catalans win the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España this season, while his team are in the Champions League semifinals as well. La Blaugrana are also leading the title race with five games left to play this season.

Flick has won 40 of his 53 games in charge, losing just seven. His team have scored 155 goals and conceded 58 so far. His contract expires in 2026, but he is close to committing to his future at Camp Nou until 2027.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over six years at Sportskeeda. He has written close to 9000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 19.5Million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

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Edited by Yash Singh