BARCELONA are confident Lionel Messi will sign a new contract despite interest from Inter Milan, according to reports.
The Argentine hero, 32, is out of contract in little over a year’s time and has been at loggerheads with the Nou Camp board on various occasions this season.
Lionel Messi is expected to sign a new deal at Barcelona despite a number of rifts and interest from Inter MilanCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Most recently, the club’s handling of the coronavirus crisis and the reduction of players’ wages did not go down well with the captain who was thought to be losing patience.
In February, he hit out at ex-defender and director of football Eric Abidal over comments regarding some players’ commitment and effort around the time of Ernesto Valverde’s sacking.
Messi also said he found it “strange” that the club were forced to deny claims they paid a PR firm to attack star players including the Argentine icon.
The tensions between the six-time Ballon d’Or winner and Barcelona has led to suggestions he could leave the club he has been with since 2001.
But after former Inter president Massimo Moratti suggested the San Siro club could launch an audacious move to sign Messi, reports in Spain insist Barcelona are “completely unfazed” by the comments.
Instead, Marca report that the Catalan giants reckon their captain will sign a contract extension.
Messi has scored 627 goals in 718 games and won ten LaLiga titles as well as four Champions Leagues.
But in order to keep on winning titles – especially the Champions League – he wants to see more quality players brought in, such as international team-mate Lautaro Martinez.
The Inter hitman, 22, has banged in 16 goals for Antonio Conte’s side this term and is thought to be Barca’s No1 transfer target when the window reopens.
However, the comments from Moratti may be used to try and fend Barcelona away from making a move.
Moratti – who was president as Inter triggered Messi’s £132million release clause when he was just 18 years old in 2006 – believes his old side can somehow exploit that interest in Martinez to convince Messi to make the switch.
Moratti told Radio Rai: “I don’t believe Messi is a forbidden dream at all. Maybe it never was even before all this misfortune.
“He is in the final stretch of his contract and, without doubt, it would take a tremendous effort to bring him here.
“I don’t know if the current situation changes anything for better or for worse. But I think we will see some strange things at the end of the year.
“Martinez is a good boy who cares about his career. But we will see if he’s part of a deal to bring in more important players like Messi.”
Lionel Messi desperate for ‘one of best in world’ Neymar to return to Barcelona along with Lautaro Martínez of Inter Milan
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
