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Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona remains the subject of much speculation with the captain out of contract at the end of this season and able to walk away as a free agent.
Yet the Argentina international appears to have dropped a huge hint about his plans for the future in an interview with La Sexta’s Jordi Evole. The interview is due to be broadcast on December 27 but a snippet has been leaked which will offer Barca fans hope the captain might be planning to stay, as reported by Catalunya Radio.
Messi is asked how he is feeling at Barcelona and replies, “I’m fine now. It’s true that in the summer I was doing very badly, because of the end of the season and for everything that happened, the burofax … I dragged this with me at first but now I feel like fighting for everything. I know the club is in a difficult time, at team and club level, but I’m looking forward to it.”
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Messi Tipped to Stay
Barcelona will hold presidential elections in January and one of the candidates in the running, Jordi Farre, has said he is confident Messi does not want to leave the Camp Nou.
Farre told RAC1 that he has been in touch with the captain’s representatives and already has a proposal ready for the 33-year-old, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
I’m sure Messi doesn’t want to leave. I’ve talked to his people, they have told me he wants to stay and there’s a winning project. The proposal I have for him: renew year by year and be honorary president. With that, will he tell me no.
Messi has not discussed his future publicly since admitting in an interview with Goal’s Ruben Uria in September that he had told Barca he wanted to leave in the summer but had been denied an exit.
Winning Project Under Koeman?
The identity of the club’s next president and Barca’s progress under new coach Ronald Koeman are both likely to impact Messi’s thoughts on the future. The club have endured a disappointing start to the season so far under Koeman.
Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Valencia in La Liga saw Barca drop points for their seventh time in 13 league games this season. Messi was on target with his 643rd goal for the club, matching Brazil legend Pele’s historic record.
There have been some reasons for optimism this season. Youngsters Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza, Sergino Dest, Ansu Fati, and Pedri have all enjoyed game time and offered evidence Barca can build a new team with a bright future.
Whether Messi is part of that future still remains to be seen. The captain has previously made it clear he wants to finish his career at Barcelona and his latest comments offer hope he could decide to stay and sign a new contract at the club he joined at the age of 13.
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