Lionel Messi has been invited by Barcelona to the inauguration of the revamped Nou Camp but his former side have dismissed talk of re-signing the superstar.
The record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was forced to say a teary farewell to the Spanish giants as his 21-year association with the club came to a dramatic end last summer. Due to Barcelona's ongoing financial woes, the cash-strapped Catalan club were unable to renew the Argentine attacker's contract and saw him depart on a free transfer.
Upon the expiry of his deal, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain, but the 34-year-old has struggled to recapture his scintillating form of old in the French capital. Amid speculation surrounding an impending reunion with Barcelona in the summer, the La Liga side have have played down talk of a sensational return, despite the club's president Joan Laporta admitting "this is his home".
Laporta confirmed his desire to have Messi attend the inauguration of the revamped Nou Camp upon its completion, however the club president dismissed the possibility of the Argentine re-signing for Barcelona amid much transfer speculation. Speaking to RAC1, Laporta revealed: “My communication with Messi is no longer fluid but I’d love to have Leo here present with us during the inauguration of the new stadium.
"Camp Nou will always be his home. His departure to PSG? We did what we had to do [last summer]."
Laporta added: “I’ve received no message from Messi or his agents over a possibility of returning back to Barcelona. As of today, we are not going to be raising this issue.
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"There's no conversation with Leo Messi over his potential comeback to Barça. The reality is that we’re not considering this possibility. Leo is Leo, he’s the best - but this kind of deal is not part of our plans."
The news is likely to come as a significant blow to Messi, whose struggles in the French capital have been well-documented this season. The Argentine forward has only found the net on seven occasions this season, with a mere two strikes coming across 18 Ligue 1 appearances.
The French giants recently endured a catastrophic Champions League exit at the hands of Messi's old rivals Real Madrid - a defeat which subsequently saw the Argentine and his PSG team-mate Neymar booed by their own supporters. Amid reports of Messi struggling to settle, his father has reportedly taken action.
According to a recent update from Catalan-based journalist Gerard Romero, the player's father Jorge has contacted Barcelona to gauge whether a sensational return to the Nou Camp is possible. It appears a Messi comeback could well be on the cards, however, only as a guest of honour.
During his time in Spain, Messi scored a staggering 672 times in 778 appearances and claiming a remarkable 34 trophies with Barcelona. Judging by Laporta's comments, it doesn't appear as though the 34-year-old will get a chance to add to those numbers though.
