Rosell: Messi not leaving Barca on my watch

29 November 2011 11:14

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell insists Lionel Messi will not leave the Champions League holders as long as he is in charge of the club.

The 24-year-old attacker has developed into a double Ballon d'Or winner since making his official first-team debut at Barca in October 2004 and Rosell has made it clear that Messi is indispensable to the club.

"At Barcelona, there are many things that are not for sale at any price, and Messi is a person who is just that for us," Rosell was quoted as saying by Sport.

"As long as I'm the president at Barcelona, and he does not want to leave, Leo will continue to be a Barca player. If it were up to me, he would never leave the club."

Messi has already stated more than once that he is keen to stay with Barcelona for many more years, and a transfer seems very unlikely.

The Argentine international has a contract with the Camp Nou side until the summer of 2016.