Lionel Messi’s father meets with Barcelona chief Joan Laporta

Lionel Messi’s potential summer return to Barcelona has taken a crucial step forward.

The Argentinian international has been heavily linked with a fairy tale reunion with La Blaugrana with his contract at Paris Saint-Germain expiring at the end of June.

PSG retain a 12 month extension option on Messi, but the club are rumoured to be willing to let him leave, with Messi reportedly unsettled in Paris.

However, the chances of being able to structure a deal, to bring him back to Catalonia remain mixed, with Barcelona struggling under major financial pressure.

As per reports from the Daily Mirror, Messi’s father, and agent Jorge Messi, met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, to begin preliminary talks.

No formal offer was made to the 35-year-old, but it is a key step on the road to a potential deal being agreed between both parties, with Barcelona set to make a bid in the coming weeks.