🚨 Messi to Barcelona return remains complicated, Liverpool's next targets after Mac Allister, plus the truth about Real Madrid's Kane pursuit & more - Ben Jacobs Takeover

This week's exclusive column, featuring Messi, Kane, Mac Allister, and more!

Will Lionel Messi wait for Barcelona?

Lionel Messi still only has two formal offers on the table: one from Saudi, with Al-Hilal the expected club, and another from David Beckham's MLS franchise Inter Miami.

Messi would love to stay in Europe, but Barcelona still haven’t made a formal offer and time is running out. Jorge Messi did meet with Joan Laporta on Monday and fuelled speculation Messi might join by telling journalist Toni Juanmarti, “Messi wants to return to Barcelona and I would love for him to come back. It’s an option”.

The problem for Barcelona is that Messi wants to finalise his next club right away. And in Saudi Arabia there is confidence he will join Al-Hilal. Dealmakers believe the done is pretty much done. Messi has even been shown accommodation options and taken a ‘secret’ tour of Al-Hilal.

The Saudi plan is to announce as soon as possible to stop any late twist. But all that’s lacking is a Messi signature, and we now must see if he’s willing to give it.