Lionel Messi is on the market. Until Tuesday night, it was only in FIFA where Messi could be played in other colours. But it may as well become a reality now. Messi told Barcelona that he wishes to leave the Catalan club after a series of events over the past few years.
Since Messi’s intimation to Barcelona, the rumour mills have been abuzz about where Messi could next go. With his release clause being that of 700 million and then his salary plus taxes, there are only a handful of European clubs that can afford Messi and that, when Messi would still want to win the Champions League with the club he choses to play for.
According to beIN Sports correspondent Tancredi Palmeri, Manchester United have contacted Messi’s father looking for a massive opportunity. How that will ever play out in terms of money is anybody’s guess. Palmeri also tweeted that Messi has requested FIFA for a CTI, a provisional certificate for a transfer request.
BOOM!Messi has requested to Fifa a CTI, a provisional certificate for a transfer request!— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) August 26, 2020
Meanwhile, Bartomeu is looking to make peace with Messi and has asked for an urgent meeting with the Argentine maestro, according to Catalunya Radio.
Palmeri also reported that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s right arm Manoel Estiarte has posted a message on Instagram for Messi that says: “You made many people and my mother happy for long time. Now it’s our time to make you happy.”
Furthermore, PSG have intimated Messi that they are going to make an offer to Barcelona for him, according to journalist Veronica Brunati.
Along with Champions League embarrassments over the past three years, the chaos at the club’s highest level prompted the Argentine’s decision. Having last won the Champions League in 2015, Messi’s quest for Champions League has become almost an obsession, fueled by the fact that Real Madrid won the next three. However, in the past three years, Barcelona have seen embarrassing losses to AS Roma (3-0), Liverpool (4-0) and Bayern Munich (8-2) this year.
Apart from on-field disappointments, Messi and a few other senior players at Barca have been fighting a constant battle with the club’s board and have grown tired of the tussle. This year, Messi publicly criticised former sporting director Eric Abidal and also has been on a tug of war with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. The final straw was new coach Ronald Koeman coming in and telling Luis Suarez, his best friend at the club, that he was not a part of his project. Koeman’s intimation to Suarez happened on Monday and Tuesday, Messi sent a burofax to the club stating he wanted out.
Barcelona replied saying they wanted Messi to finish his career in Catalonia. Messi asked to execute a clause in his contract that allows him to terminate his contract unilaterally at the end of the 2019-2020 season and be a free agent. According to the contract, Barca say he was allowed to terminate the contract by June 10 but Messi says that with the extension of the season due to coronavirus pandemic, he has until August 31 to make his decision. No one knows which direction this is going to take – a mutual compromise between the two parties or a long legal battle that could keep one of the greatest in history on the sidelines.
Palmeri also reported a further mess at Barcelona, where their ex-manager Quique Setien has sent a burofax to the club requesting to be paid and an official communication of being sacked so that he could go look for a new job.
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