"Messi had the Barca jersey in our room" - Sergio Aguero explains how close Lionel Messi was to Barcelona contract extension
Lionel Messi's former Argentina teammate Sergio Aguero has revealed how the Argentina captain was in anticipation of extending his Barcelona contract.
Messi left Barca in the summer of 2021, shortly after Aguero had joined the Blaugrana. While the club had an agreement in place to extend his contract, a deal didn't come to fruition because of La Liga's wage cap rules.
As a result, Messi had to leave his boyhood club. Aguero has now revealed on his Twitch that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner even had a Barca jersey in his room during the 2021 Copa America in anticipation of his contract renewal. Aguero said (via All About Argentina):
“During the Copa America, Messi had Barca jersey in our room. He was saying for every 3-4 days: ‘I think my contract has been renewed. You have to take me a photo with Barca jersey for the official announcement.’ And everytime we were ready, they were telling him that it was not ready yet.”
Lionel Messi went on to join Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent after leaving Barca and spent two years in the French capital.
While he was linked with a return to Barca following the expiration of his PSG deal, Messi instead joined MLS club Inter Miami as a free agent this summer. He has hit the ground running, bagging five goals and an assist in three Leagues Cup games.
What Jordi Alba said about reuniting with his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has a few familiar faces alongside him at Inter Miami, as the likes of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have also arrived. Former Barcelona coach Tata Martino is the manager of the MLS side.
Alba made his debut for Inter Miami during the 3-1 Leagues Cup Round of 32 win against Orlando City, where Messi bagged a brace. Speaking about playing again with Messi again, Alba said (via AS USA):
“It is no longer surprising, but what Leo does is outrageous. After two years without playing together, today we have finally played together again and now it’s time to enjoy a few more years together."
Messi and Alba formed a formidable partnership on the left side of Barca's attack during their time together at the club. Fans will keep a keen eye on whether they can rekindle that understanding at Inter Miami.