Barcelona star and captain, Lionel Messi has told new manager, Ronald Koeman that he is leaving the club, and that he is more out than in, as the club tries to convince him to stay.
According to a report by the Catalan radio RAC1, Messi interrupted his holiday to return to Barcelona on Thursday to speak face to face with the club’s new coach.
And reports suggest he told Koeman he has no faith in the club’s president Josep Bartomeu and is considering his future elsewhere.
Although he is yet to make it official, as other clubs will be willing to land the Argentine magician should he make good his threat to leave the Camp Nou. The likes of Manchester City have been on his case for some time now, and the Etihad club could be his next destination should he decide to quit Barcelona. But he has £630million release clause, which could discourage most teams, and also make it difficult for him to leave Barcelona.
“He is a Barcelona player. He has another year. I don’t know if I have to convince him to stay,’ new coach, Koeman said on Wednesday.
The Dutch coach also made it clear he only wanted players who wanted to be at the club.
Bartomeu, who will stand down as President at the end of next season, has always insisted Messi would retire at the club.
He will not want his already tainted legacy to include having forced the club’s all-time greatest player out.