Sporting project is the key in Lionel Messi’s Barcelona future
Ronald Koeman has managed to improve his Barcelona side from where they were at the start of the season. Unsurprisingly, much of the improvement has been carried by Lionel Messi.
But the Argentinian’s contract is up at the end of the season and the club are running a risk of seeing the best player in team history leave as a free agent.
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According to Mundo Deportivo, one of the requirements Messi is looking for should he re-sign is that of a solid sporting project. He wants to be assured that if he does stay, Barcelona can compete with the likes of PSG, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.
Joan Laporta knows he needs to convince Lionel Messi to stay at Barcelona.
He wants to win and has stated in the past that he believed the previous board did not have a plan and were simply making things up as they went along. It’s one of the reasons why he wanted to leave in the first place.
The report also claims he is well aware of the club’s bright future and promising player but he also wants to win now, knowing he likely only has a couple more years left at the top level. He is also aware he is going to need to have to take a pay cut taking into account the club’s finances.
Signing Messi to a new deal is high on Joan Laporta’s list of things to do. He stated as much during his speech when he was officially presented as the new club president. Despite the club’s finances, Laporta believes he can make a competitive offer to get Messi to renew.
Next. Barcelona chief planning a renewal deal for Lionel Messi. dark
As of now, Laporta hasn’t made an offer but there seems to be cautious optimism from both sides that something can get done once they sit down and negotiate. As for Messi, he is focused on ending the season on a strong note and winning silverware with the Copa del Rey final coming up and the La Liga title race being back on.