The new president of FC Barcelona was speaking at a press conference this Friday.
Will leave, will not leave? Free in June, Lionel Messi has not yet decided on his future. On the side of FC Barcelona, we are working to extend it, as President Laporta explained this Friday at a press conference. “The renovation of Messi’s contract is going well, but it hasn’t been done and I have to continue working,” said Jordi Bartomeu’s successor. We are preparing a proposal which, with the limits of the club, can convince Messi. We are all preparing what it takes for him to continue at Barca. The relationship is very good because Leo because he wants to play for Barça. ” Remember that this last statement was not true last year at the same time, with the Pulga who had gone out of his way to leave his club forever. The old management had finally retained Messi – who thought he was free – against his will in favor of a sort of legal vacuum.
» READ ALSO – After Real, Zidane has (almost) only the Blues to dream of
The future will tell if the return of Joan Laporta at the helm has really changed the mind of the six-fold Golden Ball, which is said to be courted by PSG and Manchester City in the event of departure. As for the club in the capital, we know that Neymar dreams of playing again with his former partner, the Brazilian had said on Argentine TV at the end of last year, and that Leonardo “is sitting at the big table of those who follow the case closely. In fact, no, we are not yet seated, but our chair is just reserved in case ”, explained the Brazilian sporting director of Paris Saint-Germain in mid-January, for France Football. On the subject of Skyblues, no need to recall the links between Messi and their coach, Pep Guardiola.
“We will make an offer to the extent of our possibilities. Leo deserves more and he can have more, but he wants to win at Barca because he gives credit to our efforts and I think he is blown away by the project. It is not a dinosaur, it aims to have a team that has the possibility of winning everything and that is what we try to do with moderate optimism, ”explains the 58-year-old leader, reelected in last March after a first term from 2003 to 2010.
Recruits next week?
Still, beyond the financial aspect of things, Barça will have to convince Lionel Messi of the quality of his sporting project in order to have him affix his signature at the bottom of a new contract. “You cannot continue to lose without doing anything, as has been the case in recent years. Defeats have consequences and we will have to improve the team. Next week, we will start announcing recruits, ”Laporta promises. Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia (Man. City, free) have been announced at Camp Nou for several weeks. We also talk about Memphis Depay (Lyon, free) and Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool, free), without forgetting a return of Emerson, loaned to Betis. What about the coach? Ronald Koeman is anything but sure to continue. “We had a meeting and we committed to making decisions next week,” Joan Laporta. There is no doubt that this decision will impact that of Messi …
.
