Lionel Messi now looks likely to remain in Barcelona Lionel Messi intends to stay at Barcelona despite this
week's public row with sporting director Eric
Abidal. Sources close to the 32-year-old have assured Sky
Sports News that he is not thinking of leaving the
Nou Camp this summer and remains determined to
see out his current contract at the very least.
Messi's deal runs until 2021 and he is open to
discussing an extension, although the forward is in
no rush and would prefer to do so on a rolling
year-by-year basis.
Pep Guardiola has urged Messi to finish his career at
Barcelona amid speculation he could leave the Nou
Camp for Manchester City Barcelona, however, would want to talk about
another multi-year deal and hope to sit down with
Messi's father and agent Jorge in the upcoming
months. Although the spat with Abidal has provoked
reports in England, Italy, France and even
Argentina that Messi could move to one of these
countries, there has been scarcely any mention in
Spain's top publications that a summer departure is
on the cards. Sky Sports News has been told that, as captain,
Messi felt compelled to speak out in defence of
himself and the team, while also wanting to
highlight that he does not call the shots at the club,
and that he feels public criticism from internal staff
is not constructive.
Managers have their say on the prospect of Messi
leaving Barcelona and joining a Premier League
club This response via his social media, which has
outgrown Barca's own by almost 60 million
followers, was received positively by fans and the
Spanish media, and Messi's feelings were echoed by
team-mates after the Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic
Bilbao on Thursday.
Defender Jordi Alba was among them, and he said:
"We already have enough thrown at us from
outside that we do not need it from inside." As a difficult week for the club draws to a close, the
situation has calmed down following talks between
Messi and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu,
who has also spoken separately with Abidal.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire discusses
whether Premier League suitors would be able to
afford a move for Messi But while the future of Messi at Barcelona remains
more or less assured, that of the Frenchman Abidal
appears increasingly uncertain despite hanging
onto his job this time. A number of his key signings last summer are yet to
make a significant impact, including the highly-
sought-after Frenkie de Jong, while others he
signed in 2018 such as Malcom and Jean-Clair
Todibo are now playing their football elsewhere. Spanish football expert Alvaro Montero explains
what's behind Messi's public disagreement with Eric
Abidal and the possible repercussions The club were also in need of a new striker in
January after Luis Suarez's injury but failed to sign
anyone, and they have subsequently been forced
to ask for La Liga's permission to make an
emergency transfer following another injury to
Ousmane Dembele.
There has also been a continued lack of La Masia
academy stars breaking into the B team, with none
of the club's last 46 youth additions making the
grade under several different sporting directors
including Abidal, although some B teamers have
made it to the first team, such as Riqui Puig. Abidal - a Barca player himself for six years - faces a
crucial summer transfer window as the club look to
restore their dominance over Europe, especially if
La Liga and another Champions League title slip
through their grasp this term.

He never had a choice