Another little thread about Messi and his future

Leo Messi still wants to leave and wants to do it in a good way if possible. Barcelona insists he is not for sale (or can go for the €700m of his buy out clause). There is NO change of strategy from Leo’s part

24 hours after Messi asked for a meeting, the club has not responded one way or another
Messi does not want to leave in bad terms for respect to the club and the fans

Many people focus on the burofax (it’s just a recorded delivery) BUT from the moment he decided to stop negotiations for renewal around March, club was told few times that Messi wanted to go

“Let’s look for a way out of Leo”, was the message sent to Bartomeu in April, in June, in July, in August. The club never believed that was a real possibility. NO change of strategy on Leo’s part since then. The change would be if he decided to go to war with the club

The burofax is just a logical legal step when you have decided to go. The petition of a meeting to exit in a friendly way is also a next logical step. At the moment, with no response from the club

Important point. Both sides are ABSOLUTELY convinced that the clause of 10th of June gives them the right to defend their position. Messi thinks he can go for free. Barcelona that he has a contract till next season

City insists they will not let go any of their regulars. Angeliño or Eric Garcia could be part of a deal as no club is able to pay a transfer fee of €100m + plus his wages (they would be reduced anyway in his next club)

@sport has published today that FCB does not accept swap of players, they do not want anyone from City, they do not want to sell and would only meet to renew his contract, not to negotiate a way out

All that makes the resolution impossible to predict. But if we are talking percentages City still CLEARLY in the front seat, but PSG (have been in touch this moring again) or... (wait for the surprise!)

Juve (they are trying the VERY unlikely possibility of having Messi and Ronaldo together with very daring finances and sponsorships!) have gone up. Inter still up for it but numbers do not add up

Btw, I asked Messi once if he’d heard people in England wonder (in a witty way) if he could make it on a wet cold Wednesday night in Stoke. He told me straight away: “they should see the pitches and places I used to play in Rosario!”. It means he think he can do it in Stoke