“We could have renewed Messi’s contract” – Former Barcelona presidential candidate makes bold claim about Argentine superstar’s future at Camp Nou

Former Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font has claimed the club could have kept Lionel Messi. He believes the Argentine's contract could have been renewed last summer, but the club had no such plan.

Messi left Barcelona last summer after the expiry of his contract and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. Current club president Joao Laporta has blamed La Liga for the non-renewal of the contract and claimed they were offered no help.

However, while speaking to El Chiringuito TV, Font claimed it was possible for the Catalan side to renew Messi's deal last summer. However, he added that the club were not planning on doing it and thus 'improvised' the exit. He said:

"We could have renewed Messi's contract. The club had no plan for him, everything was improvised."

Victor Font on Barcelona and Lionel Messi

Victor Font has been full of praise for Lionel Messi and even claimed the Argentine was the sole reason the club did well. He added that the forward used to generate more money than he earned from the club and any rumor about his salary financially ruining the club were baseless. He said as per SPORT:

"He's an asset to the club. I celebrate as much as anyone that the people running the club now coincide with what we thought. It is a shame to have lost these months, but we have to congratulate everyone for the fact Xavi is finally leading the sporting project."

Continuing to talk about Xavi as the manager, he said:

"We will see changes in the first game. I have spoken with him about football and it is a delight to listen to him. That's only happened to me with him and with Guardiola. It will be a more recognisable football. Wingers staying wide, pressing high, winning the ball back as quickly as possible. There won't be miracles, but we will soon see the football we identify with."

Getting back to Messi, Font added that the PSG forward deserved to go out on his own terms and believes Barcelona is planning on brining him back in 2023.

"He deserved to go out in style. From the moment he left, the club should have been thinking how Messi can return to Barça in 2023."