Leo Messi to leave Barcelona?

This will hurt Barcelona fans. If reports are to be believed, Lionel Messi has refused to sign a contract extension and will see out his current deal which ends in 2018 before deciding his future.
Madrid based sports daily Marca, claims that Leo Messi communicated his decision to the club mid-july when he was on a vacation with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and two children, Thiago and Mateo.


The tax evasion case reportedly being said as one of the reasons behind this decision. Messi is unhappy as he is being pursuit by the tax authorities in Spain. Barcelona still remain optimistic though, on renewing the 29 years old contract.
Messi was sentenced to 21 months of prison after found guilty by the Spanish tax authorities.
Messi along with his father Jorge Messi were accused of using tax havens in Uruguay and Belize to hide more than ￡3m earnings.

Messi reaches court with his father Jorge Messi. Credits Mirror

Barca president Josep Bartomeu recently sealed contract extensions of a number of players like Sergio Busquets, Neymar Jr., and Javier Mascherano.

Andrés Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Marc-André Ter Stegen, Luis Suarez are yet to put pen to paper as they are also hoping for new improved deals.

Bartomeu claimed that he is not worried about Lionel Messi's future and said he will begin negotiations with the 5 times Ballon d'Or winner in January.

"We will have negotiations with Messi in a next couple of months," he told The Telegraph.

Former Barcelona and current Manchester City manager had not kept secret of his admiration for Messi, admitting that he would be the first one to approach if Leo Messi available.

Guardiola said in an interview in October, "I never called Messi. I never called Neymar, Suarez, Iniesta, Busquets, I didn't call anybody," ahead of Manchester City's game with Barcelona.

"In the case of Leo, I really want him to play and finish his career here[at Barcelona]. But maybe he will think, OK I want to go play somewhere else' because maybe his kids want to speak English or live a different experience, like has happened to many of us,"

"Maybe it could happen, but if he decides to go and it happens, there would be a list of seven or eight clubs who would want to sign him, and it would be down to him. Messi will decide where to go."

The reigning La Liga champions are currently on 2nd behind rivals Real Madrid. The next El Clasico is on 3rd December at Camp Nou.

Source

1. Mirror
2. The Telegraph

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