Barcelona president Joan Laporta is formulating an audacious plan to unite Cristiano Ronaldo with Lionel Messi at Camp Nou, according to reports in Spain.
Ronaldo, 36, has one year remaining on his contract with Juventus and has been strongly linked with a move away from the Turin giants this summer.
Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are among those credited with interest in the Portugal icon, but Barcelona are also believed to be monitoring the situation intently.
The prospect of former El Clasico rivals Ronaldo and Messi lining up on the same team is something improbable which has fascinated football fans over the last decade.
As the legendary duo enter the twilight years of their careers, however, it becomes more possible they will pen short-term deals with the highest bidder, or the club offering the most-attractive vision.
In Laporta’s eyes, there is no proposal more enticing than the prospect of playing alongside Messi, and the Barcelona supremo is working hard to pull off a sensational swoop for Ronaldo.
That’s according to Diario AS , which claims Laporta will offer a selection of Barcelona players to Juventus in order to make the dream transfer a reality.
Forward Antoine Griezmann and midfielders Philippe Coutinho and Sergi Roberto are the three names in the mix, with Barcelona willing to part ways with two of them to get the deal over the line.
But the report admits there is no guarantee Real Madrid hero Ronaldo would agree to join Barcelona, nor has his agent, Jorge Mendes, been formally approached.
Nonetheless, Barcelona believe they could pay the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s wages as two players would move in the other direction to join Juventus.
Of course, the prospect of uniting Ronaldo with Messi also relies on the latter agreeing to a new contract with the Catalan club.
The Argentine – who has six Ballons d’Or in his trophy cabinet – has a matter of days remaining on his contract, which expires on 30 June.
But the report from Spain declares excellent progress has been made in renewal talks, with Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, in Barcelona to sanction the new deal.
Diario AS claims Messi received contract approaches from other clubs offering a salary three times more than Barcelona, but he is determined to stay put due to his relationship with the club.
Laporta has a strong bond with the prolific forward and was elected as Barcelona’s president in March on a mandate of convincing Messi to sign an extension.
The Spaniard has also been tasked with addressing the club’s crippling £1.1billion debts, and on Sunday the club agreed to refinance €525million (£450m) of this sum.
COMMENTS