Messi still hoping for Barca reunion one day: 'I really wanted to come back'
Lionel Messi said he would have loved to return to Barcelona but was afraid that the financial complications which stopped the Catalan club extending his deal in 2021 would interfere again.
"I really wanted to come back, I was really looking forward to it," Messi, who announced his intention to join Inter Miami, explained on Wednesday.
"But, on the other hand, after having lived through what I lived through, after the exit I had... I didn't want to go through the same situation again and have to wait to see what was going to happen.
"I didn't want to leave my future in the hands of others. Somehow, I wanted to make my own decision for myself, for my family.
"Even though I heard that they said that the league had accepted everything and that everything was OK for me to come back... there were still a lot of other things missing.
"I heard that they had to sell players or lower the salaries of (other) players and the truth is that I didn't want to go through that, nor be responsible or have anything to do with all that."
Messi said he plans to live in Barcelona again in the future and be involved with his former side in some way.
"I don't know at what moment and when but hopefully I can return one day to contribute something to the club," he said.
Barcelona said in a statement they had made an offer to Messi but the club "respected Messi's decision to want to compete in a league... further away from the spotlight and pressure he has been subject to".
Glittering history
Messi joined Barcelona's academy at 13 years old after leaving his homeland.
He became the Catalan club's greatest icon, scoring a record 672 goals in 778 games, winning 35 trophies, including four Champions League triumphs and 10 La Liga titles.
After his unexpected Barcelona departure, Messi linked up in Paris with his former team-mate Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in a star-studded attacking trident, but PSG flattered to deceive during his time at the club.
While they won Ligue 1 twice, they suffered two devastating Champions League last 16 exits, with Messi a target for supporters' anger.
Already being booed by supporters, he took an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia where he is a tourism ambassador, and was fined and suspended by PSG.
Messi returned from suspension to play his 75th and final match for PSG last weekend in a defeat by Clermont, during which he was jeered once more and could not add to his tally of 32 goals for the club.
"They were two years, which were in general, difficult for me, but they are behind me now," said Messi.