Hours after Barcelona's iconic Argentine striker Lionel Messi dropped a bombshell that he wants to leave, the club has not given up on him just yet. Barcelona has made it clear that its restructuring project still revolves around the player.
“We want to rebuild for the future together with the best player in history,” Ramon Planes, the club's technical director, said on Wednesday. “We are not contemplating any departure on a contractual level because we want him to stay. We have to show a huge respect for Messi because he is the best player in the world.”
After nearly two decades with the Spanish giants, it was with a burofax - a certified communication method commonly used in Spain, similar to a telegram - that Messi told the club he wants to leave. There was no phone call or meeting with club officials. In it, Messi invoked a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave for free after the end of the season.
But Barcelona said the clause mentioned by Messi expired on June 10, meaning that the player missed the deadline and would have to pay the clause of 700 million euros ($827 million) if he wants to leave before his contract ends in June 2021.
What Messi may contend is that the clause was to expire at the end of the season, which this year was moved back because of the coronavirus pandemic. The club said it replied to Messi's burofax saying it wanted him to stay and finish his career with Barcelona.
Planes spoke as Barcelona officially introduced striker Francisco Trinco at an event that had already been scheduled before Messi announced his desire to leave on Tuesday.
“We can't make this a dispute between Leo Messi and Barcelona because neither deserves it,” Planes said.
Barcelona are trying to avoid an abrupt ending to Messi's career at the club. His last match in a Barcelona jersey was the embarrassing 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, one of the worst defeats in the player's career and in the club's history.
But Messi apparently has already made up his mind, and it seems only a matter of how ugly the termination will get.
Meanwhile, Goal.com reported that Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola recently held talks with Messi. Though Guardiola, who had coached Messi in his prime at Barca between 2008 and 2012, had said a few months ago that he wished to see the Argentina great end his career at Barcelona, he would be interested in signing him, especially after the departure of City playmaker David Silva.
A possibility echoed by Brazilian great Rivaldo, who played for Barcelona between 1997-2002. "Manchester City could be Messi's best option as his next club. He's 33 but his quality and talent are both unquestionable and I think he still has a few more years at the top," Reuters quoted him as saying. Rivaldo believes Guardiola would love to work with Messi again."He has deep knowledge of Messi's abilities and would find a solution to quickly incorporate him into the team and get the best from him.”
Under Guardiola, Messi had his best years, winning two Champions League titles and three Spanish La Ligas, and a treble. The team was built around Messi then, and Guardiola has since admitted that Messi was the best he has ever seen.
With reports suggesting Messi has made up his mind to leave Camp Nou at all costs, City would seem to be an obvious destination for him. Apart from Guardiola, his close friend Sergio Aguero, too, plays for the club. Also, if a buyout ends up being the only option for Messi to leave, City are one of the few clubs who can afford it.
For the moment, all are speculations. But the Messi-Barcelona-Manchester City drama seems to have just started.
(With PTI inputs)