Laporta: "To see Messi happy Bartomeu has to go - now"
The former Barcelona president blasted the Blaugrana chief on Twitter. The English press report that City are ready to meet Messi's buy-out.</br><a title="Chelsea - Barcelona U - 19 live: UEFA Youth League final" href="https://en.as.com/en/2018/04/23/football/1524493554_685422.html">Chelsea - Barcelona U - 19 live: UEFA Youth League final</a>
Former FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta says the club must "kick out" the club's current president Josep Maria Bartomeu, if fans want to see Leo Messi happy and performing to his best.
Related stories
"If we want Messi to continue and be happy at Barça we have to kick Bartomeu out immediately", Laporta wrote on his Twitter account along with the hashtag #ViaForaBartomeu.
Si volem que #Messi continuï a gust al Barça hem de fer fora Bartomeu immediatament #ViaForaBartomeu
— Joan Laporta Estruch🎗 (@JoanLaportaFCB) August 20, 2017
City could meet Messi's buy-out fee
The declarations made by Laporta, who was in charge of the club between 2003 and 2010, come in the wake of rumours circulating in the British press concerning the possibility that Manchester City are ready to meet Messi's 300 million euros buy-out fee.
Barça have already lost one of their star players this summer in Neymar after Paris Saint-Germain came up with his 222 million euro release clause.