The Argentine tried to force his exit from the Camp Nou on a free transfer, but the Catalans dug in and held on to their captain, despite the dire financial situation.
Carles Tusquets admits that he would have sold Messi this summer
Barcelona’s management committee president, Carles Tusquets, believes the club might have been better off by selling Lionel Messi last summer. The Argentine tried to force his exit from the Camp Nou on a free transfer, but the Catalans dug in and held on to their captain, despite the dire financial situation. “Financially speaking, I would have sold Messi last summer,” Tusquets said. “It would be desirable for what they would accept and what they would save.” The same financial troubles represent problems in signing players, despite continuous ties with Neymar. “If Neymar comes for free, then maybe this can happen,” Tusquets added. “If the next president performance a miracle, or if players are sold, and all the money goes towards signing him.”
Barca cannot play January salaries
The club imposed salary cuts after reaching an agreement with the team, but Tusquets says the new president and their board can reverse it should they please. “The new president can reverse it,” he explained. “We are in a situation where we cannot pay January salaries. They can reverse it without any problem. We are a consultative body without decision-making power. I condemned the increase in debt and the wage bill, but no one could have foreseen the coming of COVID.” He went on to explain that January payments would not be made, although he insists that there is hope that the situation can be reversed. “It is worrying, but we are Hopeful,” added Tusquets. “Players will not receive their monthly payment for January. It has been postponed in the same way as others, such as title-winning bonuses.”
Asked about his choice for the presidency, Tusquets didn’t give anything away. “I don’t know who I’m going to vote for, because I still don’t know who is running,” he said. At Camp Nou and the Tusquets clubhouse, he knows the work needs to be done. “The Estadi Johan Cruyff is falling and needs to be repaired,” commented. “It must be done. Pieces of the ceiling are falling. We cannot have pieces falling on members on elections day.”