Ticked: Sports Day Events Summary Clip, May 31 (Sports5)
What will happen to Leo Messi? Barcelona president Joan Laporta landed in Spain today from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he reportedly held several meetings with Yasser Al Mashal, president of the Saudi Football Association, about Messi's future.
The big surprise was the presence of Pini Zahavi, the Israeli super agent, who landed with Laporta in Barcelona. Zahavi, who famously represents Robert Lewandowski and was the one who signed the Polish scorer at Barcelona, represents other players who are in the club's crosshairs, such as Bayern Munich's right-back Benjamin Favre, as well as Josué Kimmisch, the German midfielder who has been mentioned as a strong candidate to join the club.
Other names that Zahavi represents and have been mentioned in recent times as candidates for Barcelona are Yannick Carrasco (the midfielder who plays for Atletico Madrid), and especially Gabri Veiga, the 21-year-old Celta Vigo midfielder. Veiga is also wanted by Real Madrid, and his release clause stands at €40 million. Celta have already hinted that he will leave this summer, the question is where. He is also attracting interest from Manchester United, City and Chelsea. The Spanish ace claimed today that perhaps because of Zahavi, "Barcelona have already stumbled before everyone else in pursuit of Veiga".
Unification is approaching? Laporta and Messi (Photo by Getty Images, Soccrates Images)
Zahavi was asked by David Bernabéu, the Catalan Sport correspondent, about Leo Messi, but did not want to comment on the Argentine. Meanwhile, reports in Spain say Messi has issued an ultimatum of sorts and wants to receive La Liga's guarantees within 10 days in a written document, otherwise he will sign, probably with Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal. Another team mentioned as a candidate to sign Messi is David Beckham's Inter Miami, in which case Messi could be loaned to Barca for one season and end his legendary career in the United States.
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- World Football
- Spanish League
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- Joan Laporta
- Barcelona in football
- Lionel Messi
