Luis Suarez’s move to Barcelona played a big part in Lionel Messi staying at the club, according to a source close to the club.
Liverpool striker Suarez is set to complete his summer move to Barcelona by the end of this week, following deep negotiations between the two clubs this week.
But following claims by Uruguay boss Oscar Tabarez who said that an agreement was decided back in November, further claims have been made saying that Suarez was part of a package which Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta gave to Lionel Messi to convince him to remain at the club.
Messi was subject to numerous exit reports last season, with the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain both credited with interest.
However, he held deep discussions with sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who developed a plan to convince the Argentine forward of their future ambitions.
Suarez is said to have been part of that and Messi was seemingly buoyed by the possibility of playing in a front three of Neymar, himself and the Uruguayan.