Lionel Messi is holding the Barcelona board ransom

On several occasions, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has claimed that Lionel Messi was about to sign a new contract. Messi has yet to put pen to paper. And according to Marca, he won’t sign before the transfer window ends, preferring to wait and see if he likes the direction that the club is going in.

Between Neymar’s departure and the lack of transfer activity preceding it, a huge chunk of the Barcelona squad is reportedly frustrated with the way the club’s board is operating. Barca have fallen behind Real Madrid in both senior and young talent and have started the season with arguably their weakest squad relative to their competition in over a decade.

Messi’s once untouchable €300 million release clause now looks affordable following Neymar’s €222 million exit. If PSG can figure out how to pass financial fair play this year, one of the Premier League’s big clubs will like their chances of finding a way to pass after paying Messi’s buyout.

Currently, the Barca board is working furiously to placate Messi and other disgruntled members of the squad. Midfielder Jean Michael Seri — dubbed “The African Xavi” — is reportedly close to a move to the Camp Nou. Barca has made a fresh bid for Ousmane Dembele. The club will also reportedly speak to Liverpool officials about Philippe Coutinho at the Champions League draw despite reports that they’ve given up on the Brazilian, and they’re asking about Angel Di Maria just in case that doesn’t work out.

Will the signings of Seri, Dembele, and one more dynamic attacker be good enough to convince Messi to sign a new deal? Cules certainly hope so.

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