Barcelona are waiting for Lionel Messi to decide if he wants to leave the club this summer, according to sources .
Reports have claimed since the 8-2 demolition by Bayern Munich last Friday that Messi had decided on leaving his boyhood club. However, Castles claims the 33-year-old is still mulling over what his next move is.
“From Messi’s side, we’ve seen some reporting that he has decided that he wants out of the club and he wants a significant change in his career,” Castles said on the Transfer Window podcast.
“The guidance I have is that actually he’s stayed quiet.
“He’s not been in communication with anyone, he’s very much holding his counsel.
“It’s been suggested to me that Messi has, they describe him as having hot blood, he responds to these kind of situations with anger and often makes quite abrupt decisions.
“Note that he’s twice retired from the Argentina national team after bad results on the international stage.
“The interpretation is that the people close to him are asking him to wait and consider and take his time before communicating either off-record or as private conversations or on-record as to what he wants to do.”
Barcelona sacked Quique Setien earlier this week and replaced him with legendary former defender Ronald Koeman.
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But Spanish football expert Terry Gibson doubts if Koeman alone can make Messi happy.
“Even if [Messi] wanted to leave, which I think is doubtful, I don’t think he’d have any choice because I can’t see anybody that’s going to be able to afford him,” Gibson told talkSPORT.
“It’s €1million-a-week wages, it’s going to be a massive transfer.
“He is 33 and I think the club needs to serve him better and I think they need to show guidance off the pitch.
Another new manager might be a point in the right direction. Messi knows that Koeman is a Barcelona legend.
“Will that be enough to keep him happy? I think new players is the only way you’re going to be able to keep Lionel Messi happy.”
