Barcelona’s prospects of keeping Lionel Messi given significant boost by Josep Maria Bartomeu’s resignation

Barcelona’s prospects of keeping Lionel Messi have been given a significant boost following Josep Maria Bartomeu’s resignation as club president.

Messi is out of contract at the Nou Camp next summer and will be able to negotiate a free transfer from January.

But Bartomeu’s departure could increase the Argentina forward’s willingness to sign a new deal in what would be a setback to Manchester City’s hopes of signing the six-time World Player of the Year.

City are one of a host of clubs who have been monitoring developments with Messi and Barcelona but the dramatic exit of the 33-year-old’s biggest adversary at the Nou Camp is likely to have a considerable bearing on what the player decides to do next.

Messi had been fiercely critical of Bartomeu and blamed the outgoing president for denying him a move from the club in the summer. He opted to stay only because he said he was unwilling to take the club to court after claiming they threatened him with legal action if he departed unilaterally.

The resignation of Bartomeu and the rest of the Barcelona board, just days before the president was due to face a vote of no confidence, will be seen as a victory for Messi in the power struggle that has raged at the club.

Elections are due to take place at Barcelona in the coming weeks to designate a new executive board and any incoming president is likely to make improving relations with Messi a priority.

Former president, Joan Laporta and Victor Font, a telecommunications, media and technology entrepreneur, are among the frontrunners to succeed Bartomeu.

Messi had taken aim at Bartomeu in an interview with Goal last month that sparked chaos at the club.

“I told the club, including the president, that I wanted to go,” Messi had said. “I’ve been telling him all year. I believed it was time to step aside.

“I told the president and, well, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay and in the end he did not keep his word.

“I believed that the club needed more young players, new players and I thought my time in Barcelona was over. I felt very sorry because I always said that I wanted to finish my career here.

“It was a very difficult year. I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room. Everything became very difficult for me and there came a time when I considered looking for new ambitions.”

Earlier this month, City’s chief operating officer, Omar Berrada, said the club would explore the prospect of signing Messi next summer if he opted to leave Barcelona.

“I can’t tell you how close it came more than what everybody saw in the media, in terms of Messi publicly stating his position,” said Berrada. “We weren’t involved in that story, it was between Lionel Messi and Barcelona.

“Had it become a real possibility, we would have considered it. He is clearly the best player in the world so I think any club would love to have Messi in the team, but it didn’t happen.

“It was interesting to see all the speculation about him wanting to come to Manchester City. That is a testament to how far this club has come, the strong squad we have now and the top players in the world wanting to come and play for Pep and be a part of this team.

“We will see if it ever becomes a possibility. If he leaves Barcelona and should Messi become something that can be discussed, then we could potentially explore that option.”