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| Lionel Messi |
Inter Milan’s shirt sponsor Pirelli
can ‘help’ in bid to sign Lionel Messi, says the tyre company’s chief
executive, but admits president Steven Zhang must ‘make an effort’ with
Barcelona star still stalling over new contract.
can ‘help’ in bid to sign Lionel Messi, says the tyre company’s chief
executive, but admits president Steven Zhang must ‘make an effort’ with
Barcelona star still stalling over new contract.
Marco Tronchetti said it could offer
support in the quest to bring the Barcelona legend to the San Siro despite
financial constraints, but insisted club president Steven Zhang had to make a
real push for the move.
support in the quest to bring the Barcelona legend to the San Siro despite
financial constraints, but insisted club president Steven Zhang had to make a
real push for the move.
Reports revealed that the Argentine
superstar is stalling over a new deal with the Spanish giants amid a chaotic
season for Barcelona – with his current contract set to expire at the end of
next season.
superstar is stalling over a new deal with the Spanish giants amid a chaotic
season for Barcelona – with his current contract set to expire at the end of
next season.
The Catalan outfit risk losing the
forward for nothing next summer and he currently has no intention of signing on
with current president Josep Bartomeu, who he has clashed with in the past.
forward for nothing next summer and he currently has no intention of signing on
with current president Josep Bartomeu, who he has clashed with in the past.
Amid ongoing question marks over his
future, Inter have emerged as possible suitors for Messi after attempting to
snare him to the Italian capital in the past.
future, Inter have emerged as possible suitors for Messi after attempting to
snare him to the Italian capital in the past.
Tronchetti says that while Pirelli
can’t make ‘significant’ investment, the firm could certainly aid the cause in
going after Messi – but warned that club chief Zhang had to ‘make an effort’.
can’t make ‘significant’ investment, the firm could certainly aid the cause in
going after Messi – but warned that club chief Zhang had to ‘make an effort’.
‘Honestly, at a time like this, we’re
unable to invest in sports more than we are, between Formula 1, the America’s
Cup and Inter,’ he told Gr Parlamento, via Goal.
unable to invest in sports more than we are, between Formula 1, the America’s
Cup and Inter,’ he told Gr Parlamento, via Goal.
‘We have to ask Steven Zhang to make
an effort himself. We can help, but we can’t do anything significant.’
an effort himself. We can help, but we can’t do anything significant.’
With Barcelona trailing bitter rivals
Real Madrid in the race for the LaLiga title, compounding Messi’s misery, he is
also unhappy about the failure to re-sign Neymar from PSG last summer and a
smear campaign on him and his family by a firm employed by the club.
Real Madrid in the race for the LaLiga title, compounding Messi’s misery, he is
also unhappy about the failure to re-sign Neymar from PSG last summer and a
smear campaign on him and his family by a firm employed by the club.
Bartomeu has dismissed reports that
Messi is set to leave, however, insisting he will end his career at the club.
Messi is set to leave, however, insisting he will end his career at the club.
Earlier this year former Inter Milan
chief Massimo Moratti said Messi coming to the club was not ‘a forbidden
dream’.
chief Massimo Moratti said Messi coming to the club was not ‘a forbidden
dream’.
‘I don’t think it’s a forbidden dream
at all,’ he told Radio Rai. ‘Maybe it wasn’t even before this misfortune. Messi
is at the end of his contract and it would certainly be attempted to bring him
home.
at all,’ he told Radio Rai. ‘Maybe it wasn’t even before this misfortune. Messi
is at the end of his contract and it would certainly be attempted to bring him
home.
‘I don’t know if this situation will
change anything, but I think we will see strange things at the end of the
year.’
change anything, but I think we will see strange things at the end of the
year.’
