Before getting into the "nitty-gritty" lets set some things beforehand firmly in place. The news comes from a FIFA Agent who is more an eccentric TV personality who appears in a late night popular national Football TV show which at times goes beyond the orthodox. Apart from hundreds of thousand TV spectators receiving the news last night, Spanish Sports daily "AS" has also followed on with the story.
Here is the run down in a nutshell. Lionel Messi & FC Barcelona ( or its Directive Team ) are going through a severe relationship crisis. Lionel Messi is not too "happy" that newcomer Neymar is earning 17M€ / year at Barça ( remember Neymar received a 50M€ advance in terms of "who knows what" paid to the father of Neymar ) which in the sum is more than what Messi earns per season. Plus the recent salary lift by Real Madrid for their star Cristiano Ronaldo is also more than his salary & Messi wishes to be at least on the same level if not higher.
The Argentine in September asked FC Barcelona for a salary rise to which the Club - verbally - agreed in the near future. Mid -late October Barça communicated to Messi that their agreed deal was off & not possible, Barça cannot handle financially the Messi solicitation. Bear in mind that another Club "heavy-weight" Andres Iniesta is also now renegotiating his contract & he too wishes to be at the "Neymar level". The Agentine & his inner circle are not pleased with FC Barcelona & feel that they have been betrayed by the Club. Added Messi is going through one of the worst periods of his Football career due to non-stop injuries & does not feel the backing or the warmth of the Club. Said another way, misses the "finer details", whatever you may imagination does details can be.
This has apparently lead Messi to make the decision to leave next season & that he already has a "verbal agreement" with another Club. Another Club which is not Real Madrid, is outside Spain & is willing to pay a "astronomical salary" to get Lionel Messi.
First reaction is that this is total "Bullshit". However, the news breaker - the FIFA agent - has been wrong with his "insiders advances" on very little occasions having a high % of correct predictions . Plus on the same TV show was a Barcelona based journalist which follows closely Barcelona & he too said that something "smelly" was occurring between Messi & the Club. The journalist added that he believed that if there was a current conflict that both parties would fix things before the end of the year.
The stories coming out all day from the Barcelona ( other ) press are various:
- the tax issue with Spanish Authorities mid year has affected Messi
- the non - stop run of injuries has the player in low moral status & in continual frustration mode
- the coming this season of Neymar & the Brazilians own bright lights are shadowing those of Messi & this is not to the Argentines likening.
- there are rumours of psychological issues
- talk of family "problems"
- murmuring of "personal issues"
- plus conflicts with team-mates which included the younger members like Bartra, Montoya, Tello, Alexis Sanchez , just to say a few.
Obviously the natural response is that all this is fabricated "bad press" to destabilize Messi & Barça. The local Barcelona press are not running the "Messi will leave" story - for now. This is not unusual as the local Barcelona media is very close to the Club & nearly always follows the "official FC Barcelona voice"
Lastly in reference to the "other Club", it has not been said. The clues points to "super wealthy" overseas Clubs which narrows things down to Paris St Germain or Manchester City (Bayern Munich with help of Adidas perhaps ), discarding Real Madrid which is said is not the Club. The "other Club" rumour could be a "negotiating strategy" by Messi & his team to force FC Barcelona to pay his demands. The local fan-base & Club membership backlash would be important, overwhelming & put the Club President Sandro Rosell on the ropes.
Anyway, just an advance, a rumour or an outright lie at this moment which will be worth following in coming months as things evolve naturally & advance. I personally will be wise to not judge & not pronounce myself as yet as the news in itself is a "nuclear bomb" which would call for caution in case it does ( or does not ) explode.
Anyway, just an advance, a rumour or an outright lie at this moment which will be worth following in coming months as things evolve naturally & advance. I personally will be wise to not judge & not pronounce myself as yet as the news in itself is a "nuclear bomb" which would call for caution in case it does ( or does not ) explode.
Stay tuned!
