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Barcelona will offer Lionel Messi a job for life to avoid signing for Manchester City.
Presidential candidate Víctor Font has revealed that he has a plan to keep the Argentine legend at the Camp Nou by giving him a “winning project” and a role “beyond the days he is in the field.”
Messi is wanted by City manager Pep Guardiola next summer, and his future is a battlefield in club elections to decide who takes over.
Messi has won ten La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues in his 16 years at Barça and scored 640 goals, but he’s restless and wanted to leave last summer.
City could also offer him a long-term role in their world soccer group.
(Image: Getty Images)
Font says he has a plan for Messi, whose contract expires next summer, adding: “What Messi needs to stay at the club is a competitive project. You want to win; Obviously, the lack of a project in recent times has affected the way we compete.
“For us, the partnership between Barça and Messi is very strategic. He has been with the club since he was 13 years old and we believe that this association needs to go beyond the days he is in the field (after retirement) ”.
When asked about City’s chances of signing him, he said: “Every time [City coach] Pep Guardiola talks about this, he says it very clearly that he believes Messi should stay at Barça and that he is a Barça car. He wishes his career at FC Barcelona to end.
“We know it is a possibility because he said he wanted to leave last summer, but we are hopeful. The elections come in 60 days and we will have a new board and a new president and a new project ”.
Font says Xavi, a player for 17 years, is his choice as head coach if he wins, with orders to emulate Sir Alex Ferguson. He added: “We decided that (Xavi) is the best person to lead the project in the coming years.
“We saw that he has unique leadership skills and unique team management skills. We see him as a key figure, taking on more of a general manager role.
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(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s what Alex Ferguson was at Manchester United. The hope is that a legend with all these skills, like Xavi, can play a similar role in the coming years at FC Barcelona.”
Barça are having their worst start to the season in 29 years, tenth in La Liga after eight games, leaving coach Ronald Koeman under control.
But Fong says the Dutchman is not shirking his duties, adding: “He took responsibility in difficult times, which says a lot about him. I like the fact that he is providing opportunities for young talent. I hope he gets good results. Me “I’m sure we can win the silverware.”
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