Barcelona has announced a surprising shake-up in their management structure that may or may not impact their pursuit of Lionel Messi, who is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain this summer. French media reports suggest that a contract extension for Messi is out of the question after his recent unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia, which resulted in a two-week suspension without pay from PSG. With Barcelona needing to reduce their wage bill by €200 million, they likely can’t afford the soon-to-be 36-year-old and without authorisation from LaLiga, a move is impossible for now. This has allowed Al-Hilal to emerge as a credible destination for Messi, given his established business relationship with Saudi Arabia and the club’s €400 million-per-year offer. However, the shake-up in Barcelona’s management hierarchy is unlikely to have a negative impact on their pursuit of Messi, which will be a positive for Barcelona fans.
Alemany to Aston Villa?
Barcelona’s director of football, Mateu Alemany, will depart the club on June 30 to begin a new professional project, but he has informally pledged to continue his duties for the entirety of the summer transfer window. This means that if he has been working on a potential transfer deal for Lionel Messi, his departure shouldn’t impact it. However, there is still uncertainty due to Barcelona’s dire financial situation. Reports in Spain suggest that Alemany’s next project could be in the Premier League, as Aston Villa have apparently made an “astronomical” offer for him, although it remains to be seen whether or not he will accept the offer.