Lionel Messi flew to Barcelona last month to dine with Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez and several of the Catalan club’s star players.
It was the first time Messi has returned to the city since leaving the club in his high-profile summer transfer to Paris Saint-Germain this summer amid reports he is unhappy with life in France.
The Argentine had enjoyed a break sanctioned by PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino and he opted to spend it with his former teammates.
Messi was spotted by paparazzi to be dining in a high-end Japanese restaurant in the Catalan capital, which was visited by Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets the same evening – alongside their partners.
Xavi was also in the building that night – enjoying a dining experience ahead of his 42 nd birthday and a short break from club football.
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Naturally, Messi’s return to the city and decision to dine with the Blaugrana stars and new boss sparked a great deal of excitement.
It has not all gone the Argentine’s way since joining PSG this summer and he has netted just one domestic goal for his new club as he struggled to hit top form.
With Messi’s contract in the French capital expiring in the summer of 2023, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he does one day return to the Camp Nou.
Yet the nature of the Argentine’s dinner trip has now come to light with Messi offering Xavi against making a transfer to which the club has been linked.
That is according to Catalan media outlet El Nacional, who say that the 34-year-old advised the Barca boss against moving for PSG youngster Xavi Simons – who graduated through the Catalan club’s La Masia youth system.
The 18-year-old swapped Barca for PSG in 2019 and has now made seven first team appearances in the French capital, while establishing himself at Under-21 level for the Netherlands.
The son of the son of Dutch former footballer Regillio Simons is expected to leave Paris when his contract expires in the summer of 2022 and a return to the Camp Nou has been suggested.
Yet Messi has reportedly advised Xavi against the move, stating that Simons is not yet ready for that level of football and would not justify the salary demands.
Simons made his professional debut for Mauricio Pochettino ’s side in February last year, coming on as a substitute for Julian Draxler in a 1–0 Coupe de France win over Caen.
He made his Ligue 1 debut as a substitute in a 4–1 win over Strasbourg two months later and has featured in recent weeks.
Simons missed the decisive penalty for PSG in their Coupe de France exit against Nice earlier this week.
Represented by agent Mino Raiola, who shares a strong relationship with Barca president Joan Laporta, is said to increase the likelihood of a return to the Catalan capital.
Simons has theoretically been able to open pre-contract talks with any clubs from 1 January onwards due to his current contractual situation.
Simons has amassed a large following on social media platform Instagram, with over 3 million followers, and had been widely tipped to establish himself as one of football’s biggest names in the years ahead.
