What’s the story?
Andrés Iniesta has decided to leave Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of next season according to reports in Spain. The Spaniard is reportedly eyeing a move to the middle-east or the United States of America as he does not wish to retire.
In case you didn’t know...
Iniesta has been at Barcelona since 1996 when he signed from Albacete. His parents reportedly knew Barcelona's then youth team coach, Enrique Orizaola, and he persuaded them to send Iniesta to La Masia.
He had a bad start to his time at La Masia and admitted to having "cried rivers" the day he left for the youth academy and struggled being separated from his parents. However, things quickly changed, and he was soon captaining the youth teams to victories in several tournaments.
Despite being handed his senior team debut by Louis Van Gaal, it was Pep Guardiola who reportedly identified him. The current Manchester City manager famously told Xavi: "You're going to retire me. This lad [Iniesta] is going to retire us all."
The heart of the matter
Iniesta, who turns 33 this month, in entering his final year of his contract at Barcelona. The midfield maestro was in talks with the club for a new contract, and the board was confident of agreeing on a deal soon. However, the Spaniard has halted all negotiations and has decided to leave the club.
Reports suggest that his former teammate, Xavi has persuaded him to follow his footsteps and finish his career in the middle east. Offers from MLS clubs are also on the table for the midfielder.
The Spaniard wants the club to sign his replacement this summer so that the transition is smooth according to reports. Marco Verratti is said to be the one pointed out by the Barcelona legend as his ideal replacement, but the club faces fierce competition from Real Madrid and Chelsea, who are also chasing the Paris Saint-Germain star.
What’s next?
Barcelona will try and change the mind of Iniesta, but at the same time, they will also try and secure a deal for Verratti as well. The club knows that the Spaniard isn't going to stick around for too long and a replacement for him has to be signed as soon as possible.
Author’s Take
Iniesta is making the right decision by stepping aside and letting the club plan for the future. If they don't replace him now, it might be too late the rivals might end up signing their top target.
