Lionel Messi Will Decide Future ‘Next Week’

FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has stated his belief that Lionel Messi will decide his future “next week” it has been confirmed.

The Argentine becomes a free agent on June 30, and his father and agent Jorge Messi – while denying they have an agreement in place with Al-Hilal in the Middle East – has previously insisted that nothing concrete will be decided until Messi has wrapped up the Ligue 1 season with Paris Saint Germain at home to Clermont Foot on Saturday.

This ties in with what Xavi – whose club Barca are desperately trying to arrange return of their greatest ever player – believes, “that next week he will make a decision and we must leave him alone”.

“In the end, if we talk about Leo every day, every day, I think it doesn’t add up either. In the end he will decide next week and now there are 200 hypotheses. In the end he will decide his future and here he has the doors open, there is no more debate,” Xavi added.

Asked on what Messi’s potential position would be at the club, Xavi reiterated: “Well, in many positions he can adapt – [as an] interior, he can play as a winger, he can play as a midfielder, he can play as a false nine, where he has played all his life.

“In the end you have to find a natural habitat to enhance all your game, but I do see that he can help us a lot. I think we lack that talent in the last third and Leo always gives it to you.

Despite Xavi’s clear desire to be able to count on his former teammate in 2023/2024, the coach insists that “it doesn’t change anything” if Messi were to turn down Barca and head to the Middle East or Inter Miami in the MLS instead.

“I have been very clear with him, with the sports management, with Mateu [Alemany], with Jordi [Cryff] still until his contract ends. With the president we have also talked about the pieces that I think are missing and have nothing to do with him whether Leo joins or not. It is independent of that.”

Barca and Xavi finish a La Liga-winning season on Sunday away at Celta Vigo, after that, and a friendly against Vissel Kobe in Tokyo on June 3, the club will focus its efforts on strengthening the first team squad for next term.