Lionel Messi has told Ronald Koeman he has serious doubts about staying at Barcelona, according to Catalan radio RAC1.
Messi interrupted his holiday to return to Barcelona on Thursday to speak face to face with the club’s new coach.
And reports suggest he told Koeman he has no faith in the club’s president Josep Bartomeu and is considering his future.
RAC1 said Messi had told Koeman he saw himself ‘more out than in’ at club.
The news will put Manchester City on alert. Pep Guardiola has always said that Messi should finish his career at Barcelona but if the player himself wants out then he could reconsider trying to urge the club to put an attractive project on the table for the 33-year-old.
Despite Messi’s apparent unrest his contract situation remains a huge barrier to him leaving.
He has one year left and so is still tied to a £630million (€700m) release clause.
‘He is a Barcelona player. He has another year. I don’t know if I have to convince him to stay,’ said Koeman on Wednesday.
The Dutch coach also made it clear he only wanted players who wanted to be at the club.
Bartomeu, who will stand down as President at the end of next season, has always insisted Messi would retire at the club.
He will not want his already tainted legacy to include having forced the club’s all-time greatest player out.
