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Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted that star forward Lionel Messi is ‘going nowhere’ following the links with a move to England’s Manchester United in recent weeks, Goal reported. Laporta has stated that the Argentinian is a part of the ‘club’s emblem and heart’, but they could be tempted to sell Brazil’s Neymar to the Red Devils in the near future.
The 28-year-old is one of the best, if not the best, player in the world today and he is committed to playing at the Catalan club for now. Messi and Barcelona go hand-in-hand, unstoppable and deadly as we have seen it in the past few seasons.
It is unimaginable to see Barca let go of their ‘best player’, who is undoubtedly the club’s biggest asset and in recent weeks the Argentina captain has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford. Messi is currently sidelined with a knee injury and is also fighting a tax fraud case in Spain.
Amid all the unsettlement and speculation on the future of their star man at the Camp Nou, former club president Laporta has come out and revealed that Italian giants Inter Milan came knocking at the door for Messi, but the club declined the offer and he has insisted that the club has no plans of selling him in the future.
“Messi will never leave Barca.” he said. “It is part of our emblem and our heart.”
“I received many proposals when I was president. Notably Inter, who wanted to pay his release clause, but I always refused.”
Barcelona may consider selling Neymar: Laporta
The Red Devils were linked with a number of star players from La Liga during the summer, including the likes of Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Barcelona’s Neymar. The Catalan side had admitted earlier this season that Premier League giants enquired about the Brazil international in the summer but the club had no intentions of selling him.
The decision to keep him at the Camp Nou has turned out to be the right one. Not only was he instrumental in the club’ s treble-winning campaign, but he has carried along the superb run of form from last term into this season.
So far this season, the former Santos forward has been in sublime form scoring eight league goals in seven appearances. Neymar has certainly stepped up and flourished along with Luis Suarez in the absence of the injured Messi.
However, as revealed by Laporta, the Spanish champions are in a bad economic situation and they might be tempted to sell the Brazillian star in order to ‘balance the books’.
“For Neymar, it's different.” he said. The economic situation of the club is not good, but the current president, to balance the books, must sell players or assets,” he explained.
“And the best solution is to sell a great player. There is talk of a proposal for Man United.
“But all that, it is because of the mismanagement of the current leadership.”
