We will do everything for Lionel Messi to spend many years at this club, admits Ronald Koeman

While Lionel Messi wanted to leave Barcelona last summer under the previous regime, nobody has any idea as to what the Argentine will do at the end of the season. The 33-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the current season and is already free to discuss a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside Spain. That has many fans concerned about the future of their club captain but Messi has already revealed that his future will be decided after the current season.

Yet, in light of Joan Laporta being appointed as the new club president, many fans are hopeful that Messi will remain at the club and potentially retire at Barcelona only. It has seen Ronald Koeman admit that the club will do “everything we can for Leo to spend many more years” but right now, their focus is on the current season. He further added that there was a meeting during the international break with the board and president to discuss the club’s future.

"It is a really important issue and we will do everything we can for Leo to spend many more years at this club. But, at the moment, it's not about next season, it's about [Monday's] game against Real Valladolid. The president and his people can deal with the future," Koeman said, reported ESPN.

"As I said a couple of weeks ago, we took advantage of the international break to have a meeting with the president and the board to speak about this season and next season. It happens at all clubs in the world, but the players and I are focused on our upcoming games."

The Spanish club have been amongst many keen on a move for Erling Haaland and the Norwegian’s agent, Mino Raiola, and his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, were reportedly spotted in Spain earlier this week. That has seen the rumour mill go into overdrive but when asked about it, Koeman admitted that he doesn’t “know if it's possible” because of the forward’s fee.

"I don't know if it's possible because we spoke about the future of this team and the final decision is always by the president of the board if something is possible or not. It's not for me to give an answer to this question because I am not involved in the financial situation of the club. We spoke about how we can improve the team and the final decision is always with the president,” he added.