Barcelona will do everything they can to keep Lionel Messi at Camp Nou but accept they may not be able to match an offer from a bigger-spending club such as Manchester City.
The 27-year-old, who is the leading scorer in Barca’s history, is tied to the club until June 2019 and has a £205 million (€285 million) release clause in his contract.
When asked about Messi’s future, Barcelona’s international sporting director, Ariedo Braida, told the Catalan TV channel Esport 3: “I believe it’s very difficult that Messi will leave Barca but at times in football strange things happen.
Impossible
“Now with these clubs that have so much money like [Manchester] City, certain amounts don’t seem to have a value. In football things happen that appear impossible but I hope he will remain.”
Messi said earlier this year he was happy at Barca and quashed speculation that he would leave this summer.
The Argentina international created a hat-trick record in Spain by scoring three goals in Barca’s 6-1 triumph over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, his 24th league treble for the club in all competitions.
The win lifted Luis Enrique’s team to the top of La Liga, one point clear of Real Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Messi has enjoyed an outstanding campaign, scoring 30 goals and setting up 14 more in 26 league appearances. “Messi is a phenomenon, he is an alien,” Braida said.
