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Barcelona president ends Lionel Messi ‘myth’ over transfers after Griezmann revelation
LIONEL MESSI does not ask Barcelona to sign specific players, according to club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Several reports have emerged from Spain in the last few years pinning Barcelona’s transfer business on Messi.
Most recently, it was claimed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was hesitant to play alongside Antoine Griezmann, who wants to leave Atletico Madrid for Barcelona.
But Bartomeu tried his best to extinguish such claims in a press conference on Friday afternoon to unveil new signing Frenkie de Jong.
Amid answering transfer questions on Matthijs de Ligt, Neymar and Griezmann, the 56-year-old spoke about his prized asset.
Messi doesn't ask [the club] to sign certain players, he asks for a competitive team.
“Let's end the myth,” he said.
“Messi doesn't ask [the club] to sign certain players, he asks for a competitive team.”
Bartomeu also confirmed Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau met with Rojiblancos chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil on Thursday to discuss a deal for Griezmann.
Atletico were livid with Bartomeu’s public disclosing of the meeting and responded with a club statement.
The contents included demanding Griezmann to return training next Sunday while accusing Barcelona of agreeing personal terms with the player in March.
It also stated they no longer want to do business with The Catalans over Griezmann because “FC Barcelona and the player have disrespected Atlético de Madrid and all its fans”.
Griezmann’s release clause on his Wanda Metropolitano contract, which expires in 2023, dropped from £179.2m (€200m) to £107.5m (€120m) on July 1.
Barcelona were waiting for that date before making an offer but now seem to have missed out on the player, whose No 7 shirt at Atletico was given to new £113m signing Joao Felix in the week.