Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is ‘seriously considering’ stepping down after an emergency meeting.
The meeting was called in the wake of a fax sent by Lionel Messi to the club in which he expressed his desire to leave the club and announced his intention to terminate his contract.
Barcelona-based @Benayadachraf is now saying that Bartomeu is ‘seriously considering’ resigning but it seems a decision has not yet been made.
— footballespana (@footballespana_) August 25, 2020
Relations with the Argentine have continued to deteriorate over the past year, with his distaste for Bartomeu and the Barcelona board evident in recent weeks.
Messi’s displeasure culminated in Tuesday’s antics, with president Bartomeu calling an emergency meeting with the club’s governing body in the wake of the Argentine’s perceived wishes.
Some speculated that Messi was simply trying to force the president to resign, and it appears that the ‘ploy’ may have succeeded. Barcelona-based reporter Achraf Ben Ayad noted that Bartomeu is indeed ‘seriously considering’ resigning, but a decision has yet to be made.
Messi has forced the club’s hand / Poll / Getty Images
The concerted messages of support, as well as the immediate – and predicted – fan protests increased the pressure on Bartomeu, and added weight to theories that Messi’s request to leave the club was simply a power play.
That hasn’t stopped basically every club in Europe from being linked with the legendary forward. Man Utd, Man City, Inter Miami and Inter are just some of the clubs that have been linked with Messi in the hours since the news broke.
A report from Cuatro is what has linked United with a bid for Messi, with the Spanish outlet claiming United officials have ‘set the machinery in motion’ to bring the 33-year-old to Old Trafford.