Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has claimed that Lionel Messi wants to stay at the Nou Camp.
Messi rocked the footballing world in the summer when he announced he wanted to leave Barcelona due to complaints over how the club was run, with Manchester City being inserted as the immediate favourites to sign him.
After weeks of wild speculation, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner eventually revealed he would be staying at Barca after all, in order to avoid a court battle with the club over a clause in his contract.
Messi's relationship with the hierarchy in Catalonia has remained frosty at best, with the Argentine being repeatedly critical of those in charge, and with his contract expiring for good this year, he could leave the club for nothing in the summer.
Should he decide to depart then City will certainly be keen on bringing him to Manchester and the club's Chief Operating Officer Omar Berrada confirmed to the M.E.N. in October that they would be able to afford a move.
However, Laporta believes that Messi actually wants to stay at Barcelona.
"Messi is now totally focused on catching Atletico Madrid in La Liga and playing the Paris Saint-Germain tie in the Champions League," Laporta told Sport.
"I do not know if he will be playing on Sunday [in the Supercopa de Espana final] but he will be on the bench and it is important that Leo encourage his team-mates.
"I see him more and more happy, he is enjoying it. I know that he wants to stay and I know that he will do everything in his power to stay as long as the club can offer him an offer that suits him."
Barcelona's presidential election were due to be held on January 24 but have been delayed until March due the coronavirus pandemic.
