Barcelona come up with 5-step plan to reduce expenses by €200 million and sign Lionel Messi: Reports

Barcelona have set their sights on an audacious goal of cutting a staggering €200 million from their expenses and re-signing the legendary Lionel Messi. The club's Viability Plan, submitted to La Liga, lays out an ambitious five-step strategy to achieve this rather difficult task.

According to journalist Toni Frieros of SPORT (via Barca Universal), the first step involves trimming €50-€60 million from the first-team players' salaries. This initiative will extend across all professional sections, including women's football, roller hockey, basketball, handball, and futsal.

The second step targets La Masia, Barcelona's renowned youth football academy. Slashing cost here is likely to save the club an additional €30 million.

Moreover, step four has already taken place. Barcelona recently announced the closure of Barca TV, a move aimed at cutting operational costs by another €30 million. Frieros, however, reports that savings from this closure will amount to roughly €12 million.

In the fourth step, the club intend to save approximately €10 million by reducing the salaries of non-sporting entities. Dubbed the "war economy," this strategy is already impacting all departments of FC Barcelona.

The final, and perhaps most challenging step, is generating new income. To reach their €200 million target, Barca must raise at least €70 million, which could come from new sponsorships or player sales. High-profile players like Ansu Fati and Franck Kessie could potentially be sold to generate significant profits.

The Viability Plan spans two seasons, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, allowing Barca enough time to execute this grand strategy. If successful, the club could register Gavi and Ronald Araujo, offer Alejandro Balde a new contract, and sign new players, including their prodigal son, Lionel Messi.

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Lionel Messi pushes for Di Maria's signing at Barcelona ahead of potential summer return

Messi, currently with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), is reportedly urging Barcelona to sign former Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria in anticipation of a potential return to Camp Nou. El Nacional broke the news (via Daily Post), adding fuel to the ongoing speculation about Messi's departure from PSG and reunion with Barca.

The Argentine duo, who helped their national team clinch the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, share a strong bond. Lionel Messi's 35-year-old compatriot Di Maria is currently playing for Juventus, where he has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 33 matches across all competitions this season.

Di Maria's contract with the Serie A powerhouse is set to expire this summer, making him eligible for a free transfer. The former Real Madrid and PSG player was linked to a move to Barca last year, but the deal never came to fruition.

As Lionel Messi's highly anticipated return to Barcelona gains traction, all eyes are on club president Joan Laporta to see if he will fulfil the superstar's request and bring in Di Maria.