GRANADA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 28: Neymar JR. (L) of FC Barcelona and his teammate Lionel Messi (R) leaves the pitch after their warming up before the La Liga match between Granada CF and FC Barcelona at Nuevo Estadio de los Carmenes on February 28, 2015 in Granada, Spain. (Photo : Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
FC Barcelona currently stands at second place in the La Liga Table and is the defending Champions League winners. They have done it with the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, but according to Sky Sports, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague noted that Messi is considering a Barcelona exit.
“It is the closest he’s ever been to leaving Barcelona. It doesn’t mean he will, but it is the closest he has ever been to leaving the club,” Balague said.
Sky Sports’ Graham Hunter also chimed in his thoughts on the departure of the forward from Spain. He said, “The climate, not just at the Camp Nou but in Catalonia, is probably enough to make him and his family scratch their heads and wonder. I guess at his age, maybe you start to look at your next move and you think your next move at 28 is vitally important.”
The Argentine international is currently sidelined with a knee injury and is on trial for tax fraud charges, per El Pais as translated by Forbes. The 28-year-old forward and his father could each face a jail sentence of 22 months and 15 days together with a €4.1 million fine.
However, Spanish newspaper Sport via The Express reports that Barcelona is ready to give Messi a contract extension. He has a release clause of £180 million in his contract, which expires in 2018. Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are all reportedly interested in the four-time Ballon d’Or winner.
source:laitnpost.com
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 