Lionel Messi Could Be Replaced, Barcelona 'In Transition,' LaLiga Ambassadors Say

Barcelona may be in transition and younger players could replace Lionel Messi soon, two LaLiga ambassadors said.

Despite being rumored to be leaving Camp Nou, Messi is still tied to Barcelona until the end of next season. The Catalan club is evidently holding talks with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner about a possible extension.

As the rumors continue to spread of his departure, LaLiga ambassadors Luis Garcia and Frederic Kanoute weighed in on the issue, saying they are hopeful that Messi will stay with the Catalans for many more years.

In a recent Q&A with Times of India, Garcia, who played for Barcelona in the 2003-2004 season, said he “would love to see Messi in LaLiga and Barcelona” no matter what the club has been dealing with at the moment. The former Barca midfielder then dived deeper into the club's current situation, explaining that Barcelona could be dealing with a scenario that fairly resembles what they experienced years ago.

Recalling what Barcelona managed to overcome in 2003, Garcia speculated that the team could be “in transition” as the board has been stacking their squad with younger players.

Garcia also pointed out that if Barcelona really is in the middle of a transition, there’s a possibility that the Catalans could be honing the next Messi.

"When I signed for Barcelona in 2003, they were in transition and they stayed four-five years without a trophy. Two years later, they won everything. So it could be a moment of transition. If you look at the squad of Barcelona they are looking at a new generation with Riqui Puig, Ansu Fati…players who are adding so much quality,” Garcia pointed out.

"They are bringing youth to the team. So it could be a transition, but in this year if they win LaLiga or Champions League it won't be a transition. We can talk about that the day they stop winning trophies,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sevilla legend and LaLiga ambassador Kanoute said, “It will be difficult to replace someone like Messi.” However, Kanoute is certain that someone younger will come in and dominate the Spanish league.

“We will see many young players coming in. I don't know if Neymar will come back but we will see some top player playing. We don't know if we're gonna live exactly the same thing in the future. But we will see a lot of big talents express themselves in LaLiga,” Kanoute predicted.