Barcelona skipper Sergio Busquets has expressed his readiness to handover the captaincy should Lionel Messi make a remarkable return to the club, a report from Spain has indicated. The Spanish midfielder is dreaming of reuniting with his former teammate this summer amid claims that he is unsettled at Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi shocked the football fratenity last summer after forcibly securing a move to the French Ligue 1 club. The switch was necessitated by the fact that Barca could not register him for the season as their financial crisis did not allow them to meet La Liga's requirements. At PSG, the Argentine international has struggled to settle in and has been tipped for a move away less than a year after his switch.
Not long ago, reports from Spain suggested that his entourage had already reached out to Barcelona and were discussing his return. The claim was further fueled after new coach Xavi Hernandez left the door open for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner to make a sensational comeback to Camp Nou. However, Barca president Joan Laporta has cooled the rumors circulating, suggesting that a return of his side's former No.10 is not currently on the table.
Amid the conflicting narratives, Busquets has weighed in on the prospect of Messi's return. In an interview with RAC1, he said: "Of course I miss him. On the field and off it.
"What he gave us... What he did, no one else did. He made a huge difference. After so many years, it's normal to miss him. I'm sure he will miss me too.
"At first it was difficult. It was a shock for us too. We are still here, but imagine it for him. Changing city, changing team, changing style...
"When you don't win, you're not happy. I wish him the best. I would like Leo to come back, but I know it's very difficult. He has a contract, how he left...
"If Xavi [Hernandez] told him that the doors are open, imagine me as his friend and teammate. I would give him the armband. He always has my admiration and respect," Busquets concluded.
