Lionel Messi staying at Barcelona is ‘difficult’ – father and agent Jorge admits

The father and agent of Lionel Messi has said that it is “difficult” for his son to now stay at Barcelona and has claimed that no clubs have held talks for his signing.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is said to be leading attempts for the Argentine star to change his mind and commit his future to the Camp Nou.

He met with Messi’s father earlier on Wednesday after Messi’s father flew from Argentina to hold talks regarding his son’s future with the club’s board.

Jorge Messi then said that it was “difficult” for his son to remain at the Camp Nou but clarified that no talks had opened with any other clubs, including Manchester City – as reported by Deportes Cuatro and carried by Marca.

Later on Wednesday, video footage showed the car belonging to Bartomeu pulling up outside the flat where Jorge Messi is staying, but nobody emerged from the car and it subsequently drove away again.

The player is insistent that he will leave the club this summer while the Blaugrana are digging their heels in, saying that not only can he not leave as a free agent but that any buying club would have to pay his €700m release clause, or negotiate a fee.

The 33-year-old has a clause in his deal allowing him to leave at the end of any season, and whilst it was thought that deadline passed in June, Marca have reported his camp believe that it has been extended in line with the prolonged 2019/20 season.

The legalities of Messi’s contractual situation are set to now play a key role with reports claiming his €700m release clause at the club is no longer valid.

Tags Lionel Messi
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