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Lionel Messi’s father and representative, Jorge Messi, spoke to reporters on Wednesday ahead of a crucial meeting with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
The Argentine touched down in Barcelona early in the morning and offered a brief update on the current transfer saga to Deportes Cuatro.
Messi Sr. answered only “I don’t know” when asked if his son would be leaving Barcelona this summer and added “I don’t know, there’s nothing yet” when asked about rumored interest from Manchester City.
The 57-year-old also said he had not spoken to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and, when pressed again on the possibility of Messi staying at Barcelona, said only that it would be “difficult, difficult.”
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Barcelona Keen for Messi to Stay
Barcelona remain keen for their captain to stay at the club despite the fact he has informed them he wants out before his current contract expires at the end of next season.
The Catalan giants have even made sure the 33-year-old is front and center of a new advertising campaign for their new home shirts. Messi appears along with Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong, Ousmane Dembele, Gerard Pique, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
👕 The 20/21 home ‘Stadium’ jersey is now available
🔵🔴 #OnlyForCulers
Interestingly players such as Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal, who are not part of the club’s plans for the future, do not feature in the advert. The duo are expected to depart the club before the close of the summer transfer window.
Can Messi and Barcelona Find an Agreement?
Jorge Messi and Barcelona are now set for face-to-face talks to find a way through their current impasse which will not be easy.
According to Marca’s Luis F. Rojo, if Barcelona can’t persuade Messi to stay then the two parties will try to negotiate his exit, and one solution would be for the club to name their asking price for the forward.
There will be no shortage of takers for Messi, and Barca will be keen to receive as high a fee as possible for their captain if he is to leave.
According to Rodrigo Faez and Moises Llorens at ESPN, Manchester City are willing to pay “between €100 and €150 million” for Messi and could also include players in any deal.
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