Lionel Messi has told Ronald Koeman he is seriously considering his Barcelona future, but understands it would be difficult for him to leave due to his gargantuan contract, according to reports in Spain.
The 33-year-old has spent the entirety of his career at Camp Nou, but with the club now in crisis he could move on. Bayern Munich subjected Messi’s side to a humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat – a result that was the culmination of years of mismanagement and decline.
Following the shocking loss, manager Quique Setien was dismissed and the vast majority of the playing squad put up for sale. Barcelona have now been dealt another blow with Messi telling new boss Ronald Koeman that he is unsure whether his future lies in Catalunya.
According to radio station RAC1, the forward held talks with Koeman where he told the Dutchman he looks ‘more outside than inside the club’ when planning the next step in his storied career. Despite Messi considering his options, the player understands that the chances of him manufacturing an
Barça exit are slim thanks to his lucrative contract.
It has been reported than Messi earns an annual salary of €71.5m (£64.2m). This would put him well out of reach of most sides across the globe – particularly in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
BOOM!
According to Catalan radio RAC1, Messi has told Koeman that “he sees himself out of Barcelona more than in”— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) August 20, 2020
Among the clubs that have been linked with a move for the six time Ballon d’Or winner are Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter. Whether any of these sides have the financial muscle to pry him away from Barcelona remains to be seen.
If Messi does depart, Barça will be losing their greatest ever player. He has managed 634 goals in 731 appearances to date and won a host of major honours. This includes 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League crown and six Copa del Rey.
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