Lionel Messi has raised the the possibility of playing in the United States one day, but won’t make a decision on his long-term future at Barcelona until the season is over..
“I am going to wait until the end of the season (to decide),” the 33-year-old Messi told private Spanish station La Sexta.
About fifth-place Barcelona’s future prospects, Messi said “there is no money” and “it is not going to be easy to turn this around.”
As of January 1, Messi could negotiate with other clubs as his contract with Barcelona is set to expire in June.
In August, Messi stunned Barcelona by telling the club he wanted to leave following a season without titles that ended in a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich. The club said no, and Messi backed down saying that he could not take his club to court. He has played as hard as ever since then, but has not said if he has changed his mind over wanting to leave.
“Now I am focused on winning titles instead of other things,” Messi said in the rare interview. “I have always had the idea that I would like to have the experience of playing in the United States, but this is not the time for it.”
“Barcelona reported losses of 97 million euros ($118 million) last season and sold off several veteran players, including Messi’s strike partner and friend, Luis Suárez.
Barcelona announced that Messi would miss Tuesday’s Spanish league game against Eibar due to an unspecified ankle injury.
