Would you believe if I say Messi is looking forward for a switch away from Spain? No? You should, if I go with a media reports published just recently in Madrid that says Messi has become so disappointed playing with Barca that he is looking for a seeker who could trigger his 200 million release clause. Apparently, this news is not more than an attention seeker, however those who know the internal atmosphere in Barcelona dressing room, can be convinced a little bit that star forward could soon be a history in Spain. More importantly, newspaper also told about the possible side who could be interested in the four time FIFA Ballon d’or winner though at a record figure and that is League club Manchester City. Anyway, no matter what media is talking about the mindset of Messi, Barca fans can never accept Messi can ever leave them and one such person is no other than newly appointed Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu who says there is no reason 26-year-old Argentine footballer would leave Camp Nou no matter how big the signing contract could be.
Actually, if we look at the developments in recent past, Messi has been subjected to several confrontations with Barca bosses and one of them was when he asked for a contract extension via his agent and a high profile official clearly denied off offering him another term. Matter heated up again when Messi called that mastermind a man who knows nothing about football. What Bartomeu said rubbishing this media story is, “Messi does not want to leave Barcelona, that is what I think. He came up through the ranks at our club, and is having an unbelievable career. I do not believe anyone will play the clause. I believe that if someday Messi wants to leave, we will try and convince him to change his mind.”
Obviously, he was supposed to talk about the most controversial Neymar transfer deal and did it by defending his side and added, “The cost is 57.1 million euros in the transfer, and then we will pay 7.9 million to Santos for a technical agreement. The 86 million figure includes the player’s salary. The transfer cost 57.1 million.
“We have spoken with the court and with the judge and to avoid future fines we have paid in Spain and in Brazil. Now the two tax authorities must come to an agreement themselves. The signing was difficult and our president took the reins. The contracts are legal and now the only problem is where to pay the tax.”
This could just be the beginning of so called war of the words where several notables would come forward and oppose Messi’s move to anywhere else, but in any way, Messi supporters also have a point when they demand highest salary for their starlet. Don’t you think so?