Lionel Messi has reportedly shot down reports surrounding his future with boyhood club FC Barcelona, claiming he hasn’t been in contact with any team despite being free to speak to foreign clubs with his contract expiring at the end of the season. French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League leaders Manchester City have been heavily linked with Messi since last season.
According to a report in Goal, the Argentine is tired of the constant speculations over whether he will be at Camp Nou once his current deal expires and will not take a call on his future till the current season comes to an end. PSG sporting director Leonardo has publicly expressed his wish to see Messi at the club which has drawn sharp response from Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman and presidential candidate Joan Laporta.
The 33-year-old Messi stunned with a transfer request before the start of the current season last year before eventually making a U-turn. Since then, the modern-day great has been consistently linked with a move away from Barca, a club with which he has been associated since he was 13-year-old.
Recently, details of his astronomical deal with Barcelona were leaked recently by a Spanish publication which resulted in the Catalan giants threatening legal action. Messi earns €138m (£112m/$167m) in annual earnings.
“It’s a very serious issue and it’s totally illegal to leak professional contracts,” Marca had quoted Bartomeu as saying. “Speaking on TV and making accusations is easy, but it’s not a joke and this will end up in court. I hear certain media suggest that someone from the outgoing board or I have leaked this contract. And this is totally false. This is a very serious issue, it is totally illegal to filter professional contracts and this will end up in court because neither Barca nor Messi can accept that this crime comes to nothing.”