Ernesto Valverde Dismisses Transfer Rumours Surrounding Lionel Messi

Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has dismissed transfer rumours hinting at an immediate exit for Lionel Messi from the Camp Nou.

The Catalan outfit are yet to recover from the loss of Neymar, who has decided to make a world record € 222 million transfer from the Spanish club to Paris St Germain. Barcelona have been trying to replace the Brazilian but have been failing in their attempts to get most of their targets. Now, fresh transfer rumours about Lionel Messi are causing concerns for Barcelona. Manchester City are reportedly considering a €300 million offer for the 30-year-old using the same technique as PSG.

It is reported that the French club will fund most of the transfer money through a sponsorship deal for Neymar rather than having to come up with the € 222 million on their own. It is due to the strict financial fair play regulations preventing clubs from spending beyond their means. City believe that an offer of € 300 million will be enough to activate the release clause in Messi’s contract, which only has 12 months left to run.

Even though there has been confidence within Barcelona that a contract has been agreed, Messi has not yet signed on the paper. As a result, the 12 month situation on his contract is causing a lot of uncertainty, but manager Valverde tried to downplay the rumours ahead of the game with Deportivo Alaves this weekend.

"Messi seems fine to me.He is training with us and seems to be the same as ever. I do not think there is any problem at all.We have been waiting a long time, yes, but until the transfer window closes on the 31st there is still room to sign other players and also for players to leave.We have got a lot of players who have been training since the first day but there is not room for all of them. That is the cruel reality,” said the Barcelona manager.