Ronald Koeman Is Not Confident That Lionel Messi Will Stay At FC Barcelona

Ronald Koeman isn’t assured that Lionel Messi will keep at FC Barcelona past June 30.

The Argentine’s contract expires then, and in an interview with Newcastle legend Alan Shearer revealed by The Athletic on Tuesday, the Dutchman was sincere about whether or not he thinks the Argentine will signal an extension.

“I’m not assured about that,” Koeman stated. “I’m hopeful, sure, about this as a result of he’s nonetheless an awesome participant and he’s nonetheless successful matches for us, for the workforce. I’m having fun with being his coach, for those who have a look at his qualities day-after-day within the coaching classes, it’s unimaginable. In fact, he got here as a younger child to Barcelona. And I nonetheless don’t see Leo Messi in one other shirt aside from the Barça shirt.”

Koeman additionally defined the way it was to reach within the Camp Nou hotseat, in his dream job, with the 33-year-old hellbent on leaving following a run of poor outcomes and a falling out with the now-resigned ex-president Josep Bartomeu.

“It was a troublesome time as a result of he’s nonetheless the most effective participant, however he was indignant about some conditions within the membership,” Koeman stated. “And he was not blissful that he was in a workforce who misplaced 8-2 towards Bayern Munich within the quarter-final of the Champions League. In fact, he was indignant, he needed to go away, he wished to go away the workforce.

“Initially, what I stated to the membership was, ‘OK, it’s not my drawback. It’s an issue between the membership and Leo Messi. And you need to resolve that’. Lastly, the membership stated, ‘We don’t make a switch for him. He wants to remain’. It was a troublesome time for Leo however he lastly accepted it.

“I spoke to him in his home earlier than we began the season and I made plans with him and he was actually enthusiastic,” Koeman went on. “I knew that he had some issues with the membership and I used to be out of that. I stated to Leo, ‘I’m actually blissful for those who keep. In case you don’t keep, it’s your determination and it’s what you need to deal with with the membership. In case you keep, you may be a part of the workforce and this can be your place to get all the most effective out of your self’. Little by little, he accepted that scenario. And look how he’s taking part in in the previous couple of weeks, he’s actually concerned within the membership, within the workforce. However, no person is aware of what’s going to occur sooner or later.”

With Barça at the moment on a run of 10 matches unbeaten in La Liga and Messi showing to take pleasure in his soccer once more due to the emergence of younger abilities equivalent to Pedri, Koeman was eager to emphasize that he has a “agency bond” with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner. “I don’t have any issues with Leo,” he stated.

“He’s the captain of the workforce, I communicate to Leo about tactical issues and we’ve got a extremely good skilled relationship that I’ve with all of the gamers. However he’s… OK, he’s the captain, so that you all the time have extra communication with him,” it was concluded, on this matter.