Messi makes u-turn as father says he may remain at Barca

 

Jorge Messi, father and agent of Lionel Messi, appeared to concede his son could remain at Barcelona this season, according to footage broadcast by Spanish media.

Messi senior seemingly replied “yes” when asked by a reporter if they had considered the possibility of staying at the club for another season and then leaving for free next year, in a video recorded by Spanish TV station Cuatro.

The images were captured as Jorge Messi pulled into a parking garage reportedly for another day of meetings with the family’s lawyers.

He had arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday, landing at the private terminal in El Prat airport on a flight from the Argentine city of Rosario.

Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi boycotted Barcelona’s first pre-season training session on Monday and a coronavirus test at Barcelona’s training ground on Sunday.

According to local reports, club directors met with Messi and his advisors for more than two hours on Wednesday, but neither party was willing to budge.

Cuatro, a Spanish television channel, reports that when Messi was asked again on Thursday about whether his son could stay at Barcelona for another season, he simply responded: “Yes”.

Negotiations are expected to be held in due course between Barcelona and Messi’s entourage, which also includes his brother Rodrigo.