Lionel Messi said that he “truly wanted” to return to Barcelona after leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer, but he resisted being drawn into a story that suggested the club’s continuous financial difficulties were the reason he might not have been able to make his decision.

Messi’s sole departure from Camp Nou in 2021 was due to his inability to register his agreed-upon contract due to a lack of purchasing power.

Now that his two years at PSG are coming to a close, he has decided to move on to Inter Miami since he isn’t sure Barcelona will experience the same problems twice.

Messi disclosed his intention to join Inter Miami during a joint interview with Mundo Deportivo and SPORT, saying, “I definitely really wanted to [return].”

“Although I was thrilled to be able to go back, I also didn’t want to be in the same scenario again—wait and see what would happen, essentially putting my destiny in the hands of someone else—after what I had gone through and the exit I had [in 2021].

“I wanted to decide for myself, considering my family and myself. I had heard that LaLiga had agreed that I could return, but there were still a lot of things I needed to take care of. The fact is that I didn’t want to go through what I had heard—that Barcelona had to sell players or reduce player pay.”

Messi, who admitted that he was already “a little exhausted,” continued, saying that although La Liga had originally approved the situation in 2021, it turned out to be unfeasible, leaving the player and his family in a hotel in Paris.

“It was a little disappointing that I didn’t turn to Barça since I wanted to make my own decision. I would have enjoyed that, but it was not possible.

SEE MORE FROM THE TRANSFERS TEAM’S 90-MINUTE TALK

He claimed, “We never even got to talk about the deal.” “A proposition was rejected, but as nothing had changed, it was never formalized, written, and signed. Although there was the idea, we were unable to go forward and did not even formally discuss money.

“If money had been the only factor, I would have traveled to Saudi Arabia or anywhere else. In reality, I didn’t make the decision for financial gain, even if it seems like a lot of money to me.”

In recent months, Joan Laporta, the president of Barcelona, has been very outspoken about Messi’s resigning. Talks with Laporta happened ‘once or twice at most,’ but there were frequent discussions with coach and former teammate Xavi.

When asked if he believed Barcelona had exhausted all efforts to get him back, the 35-year-old said, “It is their problem. There were a lot of missing items. The club was unable to provide a 100% guarantee that I would be able to return today.”

There has already been discussion about Messi perhaps returning to play for Barcelona, much like David Beckham, an Inter Miami co-owner, went on loan twice from LA Galaxy to AC Milan during Major League Baseball off-seasons. He was also asked to fill a secretary or ambassadorial job during the interview.

Messi stated that upon retirement, his family would establish their permanent residence in the city where he has spent the most of his life, stating that he would “want to stay near to the club.”

As I’ve always said, I adore the club, so perhaps one day I can assist out and contribute in some form. I’m not sure when that will be. “Yes, I would like to be here again. I appreciate the affection I got from people over my career,” he said.