Barcelona Transfer News: Lionel Messi Exit Rumours Addressed by Josep Bartomeu

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed Lionel Messi is "really happy" at the Camp Nou, despite suggestions the Argentina international could leave the Catalan club.

Although Messi admitted he wants to remain with Barca "forever" during an interview with Ole (via Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express), Spanish radio station Cope reported he is due to be sold before the club's presidential election in 2016 (h/t 101 Great Goals).

Bartomeu didn't address this specific report, but he did quash rumours the player is hankering for a new contract while speaking to 8TV, as reported by AS:

"

Leo is really happy at our club; his father has told me so, although he’s been under great deal of pressure off the pitch. He hasn’t asked us for a new contract renewal. No, no. He’s happy. We always help the players at this club, and Guardiola also said the same a few years ago. Leo is happy at Barca.

"

Such comments headlined Mundo Deportivo's Friday release, noted by the MessiStats Twitter page:

"

PICTURE | Messi on the front page of @mundodeportivo today: 'MESSI IS HAPPY IN BARCELONA' pic.twitter.com/DNpzE54k7j

— MESSISTATS (@MessiStats) November 21, 2014"

Recent speculation has risen after the star forward simultaneously suggested he would love to remain with FCB, while confirming the decision is out of his hands. His comments to Ole were somewhat cryptic (h/t Jefferson):

"

Football takes many turns...While I always said that I would always stay there, sometimes not everything happens the way you want. I've said it many times: if I had my way I would stay forever. But as I just said, it's not always given that you get everything you like.

"

Jorge Messi, the player's father, also left his son's options open during an interview with La Vanguardia (h/t 101 Great Goals).

"Leo is happy," he said. "But it's clear that if the club receives an offer tomorrow and says 'we want to sell you', well then we'd have to study it."

David Ramos/Getty Images

Bartomeu was keen to stress Messi comes under greater pressure than most players. He notes the currently ongoing tax investigation against Leo and his father, while also saying "more is said about his vomiting than his records," per AS' report.

Messi is one of two players whose performances are judged differently to other stars. Both he and Cristiano Ronaldo can't get away with a slight "dip" in form—be it a couple of games without scoring or providing assists—meaning they are often criticised in an unfair manner.

That said, this type of expectation will follow Messi until the day he hangs up his boots, and it isn't exclusive to playing for Barca (as seen during his time with the Argentina national team).

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

In an AS poll consisting of over 12,000 readers, 60.78 percent highlighted their belief that Messi's comments "concealed his desire to leave Barcelona." At the time of writing, 56.2 percent of 7,242 B/R UK readers voted that Messi won't finish his career at the club.

These are significant numbers when considering just how important Messi has been to the Blaugrana over the last decade. He's obviously irreplaceable, but Barca have enough firepower to be successful without him.

Both aforementioned polls highlight it is now a more common perception to consider Messi playing elsewhere than remaining in Catalonia.

David Ramos/Getty Images

The player is obviously keen to remain loyal, but he provides enough of an inkling to let elite clubs know he could be available for the right fee. Such a transfer would likely see football's first three-digit sum and appears extremely difficult in the era of UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules. Bartomeu cannot be seen to lose grip on Barca's main star heading into the presidential vote, so his comments will remain positive.

Messi continues to lead Barcelona on the pitch—scoring 11 and assisting nine across 15 matches in this season's La Liga and Champions League, per WhoScored.com—but his future will always remain a hot topic of conversation, even when his commitment is clear.