Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi is reportedly considering a boycott of the club’s return to training next week, due a standoff in his exit talks with the club.
Messi has told the Catalan giants of his intention to terminate his contract at the Camp Nou with immediate effect, amid growing reported interest from Premier League side Manchester City.
Club president Josep Bartomeu is rumoured to be standing his ground over the situation, insisting Messi’s €700m release clause remains valid and they will not accept offers below that.
Reports from Diario AS claim Messi could now refuse to attend Ronald Koeman’s first pre-season training session as the club’s new manager, alongside a mandatory round of Covid-19 testing at the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan training complex.
All first team players are due to undergo a PCR test tomorrow, with a full return to training on Monday ahead of the La Liga restart on September 12.
