BARCELONA’S board will demand clubs pay Lionel Messi’s £631million release clause should he hand in a transfer request, according to reports.
The Argentine’s future remains in serious doubt after a torrid season on and off the pitch for the Nou Camp side.
Barcelona could refuse to sell Lionel Messi unless an interested club meet his £631m release clauseCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But with one year left to run on his contract and Barcelona determined to keep their star man, it may not be easy for Messi to get out even if he wants to.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Barca board will simply turn around and tell Messi, 33, a club would need to match his mammoth release clause to sign him – otherwise he is not for sale.
And that is pretty much impossible with no club likely to stump up more than three times the world-record transfer fee Paris Saint-Germain paid Barcelona for Neymar in 2017.
However, if a deal could be reached between the player and the club that would see Barca accept an affordable price, PSG could be in line to make a move and reunite Messi with Neymar.
Manchester City – with Pep Guardiola in charge – and Inter Milan are also thought to be monitoring the situation, with the Italians weighing up an approach.
Immediately after the Blaugrana lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Messi is claimed to have told the club he wanted to leave.
Following Quique Setien’s dismissal at the Nou Camp, Ronald Koeman was appointed on a two-year deal, with Messi cutting short his holiday to meet the Dutchman.
It was reported by Catalan radio station RAC1 that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner told Koeman that he is seriously considering his future at Barca.
And Argentinian news outlet Clarin have now stated that Messi has been left ‘furious’ that news of the meeting has been made public.
Koeman spoke about the situation with Messi earlier in the week, as he said: “He’s still got a contract and is still a Barcelona player. At this point I need to speak to him because he is the captain.
“We need to work with him and speak with various players. We need to make some decisions but in Messi’s case I hope he stays with us.
“I don’t know if I have to convince Messi [to stay], whether it’s that or not. He is the best player in the world and the best player in the world you want in your team, you don’t want him playing against you.
“As a coach I would love to work with Messi because he wins matches. If he’s at the ability and level he has always shown I’d be more than happy for him to stay.”
Man City are the favourites to sign Messi this summer
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman says he doesn’t know if he has to convince Messi to stay
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
