'We want Messi to stay', says Barcelona's technical secretary Planes

Ramon Planes insists Barcelona are ‘not contemplating’ any departure for Lionel Messi and plan to create another winning cycle with ‘the best player in the world’.

News broke out on Tuesday night that left the entire football world stunned in Lionel Messi handing in a transfer request to Barcelona; seemingly putting an end to an otherwise remarkable era.

The 33-year-old, who is under contract until June 2021, notified the club of his decision through Burofax, a postal service in Spain for urgently dispatching documents that require proof that the recipient (Barcelona in this case) received them on a given date and its contents.

Messi’s shock decision came after a catastrophic season, which saw Barcelona go trophyless for the first time since 2007/08, and his strained relationship with the club board.

Despite his wishes to activate a clause in his contract to leave for free, however, Barca have rebuffed him as this option expired in June. Therefore, clubs will have to pay his €700m release clause.

🗣 "I have seen the contract"

Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart claims Lionel Messi will NOT be allowed to leave this summer 👀 pic.twitter.com/cHzSfrzDwN

— Goal (@goal) August 26, 2020

But while Messi and his representatives insist the Coronavirus enforced break in the season makes the option still valid, Planes is adamant Barcelona will not appease his desire to leave.

The club’s technical secretary, who recently replaced the ousted Eric Abidal, announced the plan is to build another glory-laden era with Messi during Francisco Trincao’s official presentation.

“We want to build another winning cycle alongside the best player in the world. We all continue to count on Messi,” said Planes as quoted on the Independent.

“We are not contemplating a departure of Messi. We want Messi to stay.

“We are working internally to convince Messi to stay. Messi has not told us that he’s not going to show up for training.

“I’m convinced that all the players that we have brought, like De Jong and Lenglet, and those that we are bringing, like Trincao and Pedri, are going to give us a lot in the future.”

🔊 Ramon Planes: "We want to build a team around the most important player in the world" pic.twitter.com/0fDSpM83mE

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 26, 2020