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Lionel Messi’s father heads to Spain for a showdown with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, with the aim of securing his son’s departure to Manchester City.
Jorge Messi, who acts as his son’s representative, boarded a private jet this morning from his hometown, Rosario.
Reports in Argentina suggest that he will meet with Bartomeu on Wednesday and tell the embattled Barça boss that there is no turning back from the position taken by the six-time Ballon d’Or winner to leave the Camp Nou.
Messi’s camp believes that a clause in the player’s contract allows him to leave the Catalan club for nothing.
And the 33-year-old wants to be granted the freedom to reconnect with Pep Guardiola in Manchester.
Bartomeu insists that any negotiation will only be about Messi extending his current contract.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
But that is not an option that interests the Argentine forward.
Now Messi senior wants to negotiate a compromise that will allow Messi to end his 20-year stay in Barcelona.
Both sides want to prevent the situation from being resolved in court, but neither club can afford the £ 630 million buyout clause in Messi’s current deal.
(Image: AFP / Getty Images)
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Messi has refused to attend preseason training with new boss Ronald Koeman after his legal team assured him that reporting to duty would undermine his argument that he is now a free agent.
City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri admitted that he is a huge fan of Messi but declined to comment on the possibility of playing alongside him at the Etihad.
Rodri, who is on the Spain team to face Germany and Ukraine in the Nations League, said: “About Messi, I can only speak of the admiration I feel for him as a figure in world football.”
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