'I Don’t Want Him Anywhere Near Premier League,' Liverpool Star Wants Messi Stay At Barcelona

Liverpool FC defender Andy Robertson has given a hilarious response about Lionel Messi’s possible move to the Premier League.

Messi has informed FC Barcelona that he wants to leave the club this summer and the 33-year-old is heavily linked with Manchester City. It is understood that Pep Guardiola's side has already offered Messi a five-year contract, but is waiting to get a clearance on the player’s situation at Nou Camp.

Barcelona have made it clear that any club that wants to sign Messi during the ongoing transfer window will have to pay his release clause of $826 million as the player still has a year left in his current contract. While Messi believes he can leave as a free agent, courtesy to a clause in his deal, Barcelona maintained that the clause expired in June.

Messi's lawyers said the player has unilaterally canceled his contract and did not show up at the team’s COVID-19 testing. He has been missing the training sessions as well. If it was someone else, the player would have faced a hefty fine for doing so, but Sky Sports has claimed that Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has given Messi a few days off to figure out his options.

Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday and met Bartomeu to resolve his son's transfer situation. Following the meeting, Soccer website Goal has reported that he might have struck a deal with the club chief that would see the six-time Ballon d'Or winner not leave Nou Camp this summer.

The news could have made the Scotland national team's captain Roberton happy, who does not want Messi to join Man City.

"From a completely selfish point of view I hope it doesn't happen, hopefully, he stays at Barca. He's one of, if not the best player to ever play the game so for him to go to one of your nearest rivals is probably never a good sign. He's a fantastic player, I've no doubt if he came to the Premier League he'd bring the exact same quality, the same passion and everything he brings at Barca," said Roberton in a recent interview.

The 26-year-old left-back has also said that even if Messi moved to the Premier League, Liverpool will deal with his arrival as it will be a great opportunity for the team to play against someone like Messi in England.

"I've played against him twice and it's the hardest games I've ever played, so you need to stay on the watch against him at all times, he can pop up out of nowhere. He's a fantastic player, probably the best to ever play the game but hopefully, he stays in Spain for me," added Robertson in the interview that took place ahead of Scotland's Nations League fixture against Israel.