Messi's father now doubting Barcelona exit
Jorge Messi appeared to confirm Leo Messi will be staying at Barcelona for another year. The player's inner circle say nothing is clear.
It looks like Barcelona are on top in their battle to convince star player Leo Messi to stay at the club, although the situation is changing from moment to moment.
Jorge Messi, the player's father and representative, is in Barcelona to try and reach an amicable solution with the club in the aftermath of the player's famous burofax announcing he was ending his contract with the club.
Barcelona standing firm on buy-out clause
After Jorge Messi's meeting yesterday with club President Josep Maria Bartomeu, in which Bartomeu made it plain that the club's position was that Messi's only option to leave would be by paying the €700 million buy-out clause, the Messi family are considering a u-turn, with Messi staying at the club for another season, with a plan to leave next summer.
Today, Thursday, Spanish TV channel Cuatro published a video in which they ask Jorge Messi if the Messi family are looking at the player staying for another year and leaving in 2021, and the answer appeared to be "Yes". However, sources close to the player later rectified the position, saying that the answer from Jorge Messi was "I don't know".
Either way, that is a change from his previous position that it was "very difficult" for Messi to stay at Barcelona. The legal and economic problems trying to force his departure, and the difficulties Manchester City could have in trying to pull off such a major signing seem to be leading Messi to decide it may not be worth it.