I just don’t get what Barcelona’s end game is in this. If he reluctantly stays and sees out his contract, a year of further decline of the squad, and in all likelihood no major trophies to speak of is only going to cement his desire to leave and come to us on a free next season and then your greatest ever player leaves with a bitter taste knowing he’s wasted 12 months of what is likely a very limited amount of time left at the very top and your left in the same situation only a year further on.
Barca’s best bet is to allow him to go this summer but ask him to allow them to ask for a reasonable transfer fee/player in return. Ordinarily we would be mad to agree to that from our point of view but this is Messi and times running out so I think we would be more than willing to vote the bullet. they save a years worth of his substantial wage and can still profit from commercial benefits from him as fans flock to buy commemorative merchandise and they can then use that to start the hefty rebuild that’s required anyway.
Their whole stance is backwards as hell, it’s really no surprise he wants out.