GERARD PIQUE has revealed Barcelona’s plot to ‘seduce’ Lionel Messi into staying on the Nou Camp.
Messi, 33, is out of contract in June and is free to debate phrases with different groups from January.
Lionel Messi tried to pressure his manner out of Barcelona in the summertime after the disappointing 8-2 Champions League defeat by the hands of Bayern MunichCredit score: Getty Pictures
The Argentine and Barcelona all-time prime scorer requested to depart the membership after the demoralising 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich final season.
Premier League duo Manchester City and Chelsea had been linked with strikes for the attacker.
Messi would later resolve to remain after it was made clear that he wouldn’t be allowed to depart the membership free of charge.
Barcelona team-mate Pique, nonetheless, has urged Messi to remain on the Nou Camp and hopes the membership can ‘seduce’ him to remain and see out the remainder of his enjoying profession.
Talking at a query and reply session for the CRIS Most cancers Basis, Pique stated: “We hope he stays. It is a private resolution. We’ll see. However so long as he is carrying the Barca shirt, there’s at all times hope.
“We hope to seduce him to remain for a lot of extra years.”
Any discussions of a brand new deal should wait till January when a brand new president is elected, after Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned in October.
Victor Font and Joan Laporta are two of the favourites to succeed Bartomeu, however they’re confronted with one of many hardest duties from minute one in every of their presidency; persuade Messi to remain.
Lionel Messi paid tribute to the late, nice Diego Maradona after scoring within the 4-0 win towards OsasunaCredit score: Getty Pictures
The membership has acquired off to a horrible begin within the league, they sit eighth after 9 video games and 9 factors behind league leaders Actual Sociedad.
And Messi was rested within the thumping 4-0 win away at Dynamo Kyiv within the Champions League, with Ronald Koeman hoping he comes again contemporary and able to assist Barca get their league marketing campaign again on monitor.
Talking on Saturday forward of the weekend’s recreation, Koeman stated: “Messi had a superb break this week, as did Frenkie de Jong.
“Each had performed almost each minute for us this season, along with many video games with their nationwide groups.
“The cannot maintain going and going and going. To keep away from issues, we left them at residence in midweek.
“However we’ll want them (towards Osasuna).”
And Barca certainly wanted them, and the remaining clearly did Messi the world of fine.
Barcelona smashed 4 previous Osasuna with Messi getting on the scoresheet, and to rejoice Messi took off his shirt revealing a Newell’s Old Boys shirt in memory of the late, great Diego Maradona.
