Nou Camp stay 'difficult' for Messi

BARCELONA • It will be difficult for Lionel Messi to remain at Barcelona after he made public his desire to leave the La Liga club, his father and agent Jorge said yesterday as he flew into Spain on a private jet to negotiate his son's future.

According to Spanish media, a meeting with Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has been arranged although a spokesman for the club declined to comment.

The six-time World Player of the Year insists he has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave on a free transfer - a claim disputed by Barcelona and the Spanish league, who say the captain can only leave if a rival club is willing to pay his €700 million (S$1.13 billion) buyout clause.

"I don't know, I know nothing," Jorge told local TV channel Cuatro when asked if the 33-year-old would leave the only club he has played for professionally.

But when pressed if it would be hard for the Argentinian forward to remain, he replied "yes" and when asked how he saw Messi's future at the Nou Camp, he said "difficult, difficult".

He, however, dodged questions on whether Manchester City would be a good option for his son.

"I don't know, there's nothing yet," Jorge said, adding there had been no discussions with the Premier League side.

Given Messi's mammoth wages at a reported €1 million a week, only the Middle East-backed clubs like City and French champions Paris Saint-Germain are seen as being able to finance a move for him.

The shortlist of potential suitors grew smaller on Tuesday after Serie A side Inter Milan ruled themselves out of the running, saying "our reality is a sensible transfer market".

Messi moving to City or PSG would instantly install them as Champions League favourites, with both sides desperate to win the sole honour missing from their trophy cabinet.

The Etihad, however, appears to be a more enticing route to take as it would allow him to link up with his former Barca coach Pep Guardiola, with the pair winning two Champions League and three La Liga titles together.

Messi did not show up on Monday for the first training session of the new term under coach Ronald Koeman, who has already started his clear-out at the club.

Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic was the first player to be moved on Tuesday, joining Sevilla for an initial €1.5 million and at his unveiling yesterday, the 32-year-old urged his former teammate to think carefully about whether leaving the Catalan giants was the wisest thing to do.

"The first option and the best option for all players is always Barca," he said.

"Then, each player has to make their decision. For me, the first option would always be to be at Barca. Every player has to do his own analysis and I believed it was my moment. What Messi and other players are going to do, I don't know."

Barca are coming off the back of their first trophyless season in 12 years and their failure to win the Champions League since 2015 has triggered Messi's transfer request.

But Rakitic does not necessarily feel his former side are on a downward slide, saying: "I've not said anything about the end of a cycle, only that I always analyse everything and the situation has arrived to start thinking in another way.

"It's not the end of an era. After six years, it wasn't easy for me to leave. I'm really grateful for every detail."

REUTERS