Barcelona still plan to build a team around captain Lionel Messi and are trying to convince him to stay, says sporting director Ramon Planes. The 33-year-old Argentina forward told the club he wishes to exercise a clause allowing him to leave for free.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is Barca’s record goalscorer on 634 goals. “What’s happened has happened and our idea is to build a team around the most important player in the world,” said Planes. “We want to build another winning cycle led by the best player in the world, the best in history.
“Barca and Leo are like a marriage, where both have given so much to each other, and have brought so much joy to the fans. I think the future is positive. I am an optimist.”
Messi – who has only ever played for Barca – wants to leave after a trophyless season which ended with an 8-2 thrashing by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Barcelona believe the clause has now expired and Messi is contracted to the club until 2021 with a 700m euro buy-out clause.
