"Messi is, with Diego, the best footballer of all time" - Barcelona new signing hopes for PSG superstar's return to Camp Nou

Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso has asserted that he would be ecstatic if Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi decides to return to Camp Nou in the future.

Messi, 35, left the Catalan giants last summer after his boyhood club were unable to extend his contract due to financial problems. He joined the Parisians on a free transfer after penning a two-year deal with an option to extend by another year ahead of the 2021-22 season.

With his current contract set to expire in June 2023, the forward has recently been linked with a return to Camp Nou. However, he is expected to decide on his future after the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

During an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Alonso was asked for his opinion on the subject of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's return. He said that Lionel Messi along with Diego Maradona are the two best footballers of all time.

"Messi is, with Diego, the best footballer of all time. Who wouldn't want him on his team and more with everything he's done here! Surely anyone would be delighted."

Under new PSG manager Christophe Galtier, the Argentine has been in explosive form this season. So far, he has netted 12 goals and contributed 14 assists in 18 appearances across all competitions.

The Blaugrana, on the other hand, roped in eight new players for a combined sum of over €150 million earlier this summer. The club signed the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, and Hector Bellerin.

Javier Tebas takes a dig at PSG star Lionel Messi amid Barcelona speculations

La Liga president Javier Tebas has claimed that PSG ace Lionel Messi has lost the spotlight in the eyes of his fans since departing Barcelona last summer. He said (via AS):

"I think that he is not only missed in La Liga, he is also missed in football, because the Ligue 1 is what it is, right? I think that no matter how much he plays at PSG, he is followed much less than when he was at Barcelona. Therefore, football misses him."

Tebas stated that he is hopeful of the Argentine's return to Barcelona in the future. He also labeled the separation between the player and the club ahead of the 2021-22 campaign a "mistake." He added:

"I miss him, I don't know if he will have one last show, that will depend on him. I hope he comes back, above all, it would also be good for him to return to Spanish football, especially to the team that has always been the team that saw him being born."

He added:

"Because I think it was a mistake even for him, in my opinion, to break that marriage, that alliance since he was born in football, because it would have helped him a lot with continuity, like the Messi-Barça brand, which is very important for a player."

Messi is Barcelona's all-time top-scorer with 672 goals in 778 overall games. He also helped the club lift 35 trophies during his 17-year stint.