Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said the shock of Lionel Messi leaving the Spanish giants had yet to sink in as he thanked the Argentine for all he’d done for the club on Friday.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi had been expected to sign a new five year deal with Barcelona on Thursday but instead, after 788 games, is leaving the club at the age of 34.

“I’m still trying to digest the news,” Busquets wrote on social media.

“I can only thank you for everything you did for the club and for those of us who were there with you over the years, me especially,” said Busquets, who played alongside Messi in midfield.

“I shared so many moments with you, nearly all good ones, and I was lucky to grow up alongside you over 13 seasons.”

“We will miss you.”

Messi had reached agreement with Barcelona to sign a five-year contract with the trade-off that he earn 50 percent less per year.

But La Liga’s financial fair play rules, which are expected to reduce the amount Barca can spend on salaries this season by some 200 million euros (235 million dollars), led Joan Laporta to conclude they were unable to afford the deal.

Paris Saint-Germain are expected to lead the chase for Messi but Manchester City, who attempted to sign him last year, could also join the bidding.

Source: AFP

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will not sign a contract extension with Barcelona, which he is leaving at 34 after more than 20 seasons in the Blaugrana shirt, the Catalan club announced Thursday.

“Although an agreement has been reached between Barcelona and Leo Messi (…) it will not be able to be formalized due to economic and structural obstacles (Spanish La Liga regulations),” Barca said in a statement, pointing to La Liga’s salary cap rules that would prevent the Argentine’s contract from being registered.

“Faced with this situation, Lionel Messi will not remain linked to Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of both the player and the club cannot be realized,” the club continued. “Barca wants to thank the player wholeheartedly for his contribution to the institution and wishes him the best for his personal and professional life.”

FC Barcelona thanking Messi

At the end of his contract last June, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner finds himself free to sign wherever he wants, a thunderous blow even as the Spanish press expected the agreement between the two parties to be concluded imminently.

– Financial difficulties –

Since the end of the disappointing 2020-2021 season, which ended with the only King’s Cup trophy on the shelf, the Catalan club has done everything to keep its jewel and chase away the Argentine’s desires for elsewhere, who had already expressed in the summer of 2020 his desires for elsewhere.

But the serious financial difficulties of Barça to stay within the limits of the financial fair play of the Spanish League, have been the reason for the operation, despite a monetary effort of the small Argentine striker, ready to divide his salary by two and to extend for five seasons according to the Spanish press.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner, who just won the Copa America with Argentina, had become the player with the most appearances for Barça this season, ahead of the 767 appearances of the legend Xavi.

This shocking turn of events concerning one of the greatest players in history could upset the transfer market and the specialized press, before the Argentine star’s destination is known.

Last summer, Messi’s desire to leave the club caused a long drama, but the player finally decided to stay in Catalonia, despite the interest of Paris SG and Manchester City.

Source: Africa News

John Terry has left his position as an assistant to Aston Villa boss Dean Smith with the aim of becoming a manager in his own right, the Premier League club announced Monday.

Terry, a 40-year-old former Chelsea and England captain, joined Villa ahead of the 2017/18 season and became the skipper of his new side.

One of the outstanding English central defenders of his generation, he played 32 games for the Birmingham club before becoming an assistant to Villa manager Smith.

Terry, speaking to Villa’s website, said: “It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to have spent these last three years at Aston Villa, but I feel now is the right time to make the extremely difficult decision to move on.

“I want to be as respectful to the manager and everyone at Aston Villa as I can and, having given my future serious consideration over the summer, I genuinely don’t feel it is fair to move into a new season without being certain of seeing that through.”

He added: “My immediate plan is to spend some quality time with my family and, thereafter, hopefully take up some invitations to visit clubs and managers around Europe to develop my aim and objective of becoming a manager.

“It has always been my ambition to move into football management and, providing the right opportunity presents itself, I feel ready to take up such a challenge.”

Source: AFP

Manchester United have signed England winger Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, the Premier League club announced Friday.

No fee for the five-year contract was disclosed but British media reports said Sancho had moved from Germany in a deal worth £73 million ($100 million) — which would make him the second-most expensive English player of all time behind new United team-mate Harry Maguire.

“I’ll always be grateful to Dortmund for giving me the opportunity to play first team football, although I always knew that I would return to England one day,” Sancho told manutd.com.

“The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League,” the 21-year-old added.

“This is a young and exciting squad and I know, together, we can develop into something special to bring the success that the fans deserve.”

His move to Old Trafford follows a year-long pursuit by United, who were reportedly put off at first by Dortmund’s £100m valuation of Sancho, a former Manchester City youth team player.

The deal was also announced just weeks after Sancho, together with new United team-mate Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka, received racist abuse following their penalty shoot-out misses in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy at Wembley.

United finished second, 12 points behind local rivals Manchester City, in last season’s Premier League but Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects his side to benefit from Sancho’s “untapped” talent — even though the player scored 50 goals and recorded 57 assists in 137 appearances for Bundesliga club Dortmund.

“Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United,” said Solskjaer.

“He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom,” the United manager added.

“His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team.

“Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level.

“For a player of his age, Jadon has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad.”

Sancho is United’s second pre-season signing after reserve goalkeeper Tom Heaton joined on a two-year contract earlier this month.

Source: AFP