Barcelona
forward Lionel Messi deal with Chelsea is impossible under financial fair play rules,
assistant coach Steve Holland said on Friday.
The Argentine's captain at
Barca has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks amid media reports of
a bust up with coach Luis Enrique and talk of a potential move away from the
Nou Camp.
Coach Steve Holland, standing in at the
club's weekly news conference for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, said it was
unlikely the London club could bring the Lionel Messi to Stamford Bridge without
breaching UEFA's stringent spending controls. It was unlikely
that any player would join Chelsea in the January transfer window.
"Jose has made it quite
clear that in this window his expectation is that nobody comes and nobody
goes," Steve said.
"I recall him this time
last year saying a similar thing, but a couple of things happened that made us
reactive. Manchester United made a huge bid for Juan Mata. Sometimes you have
to react.
"But the hope and
expectation is that nobody leaves and nobody comes. We're happy with what we
have.This club conforms with
financial fair play. We've brought one or two players in over the last 12
months but it's quite clear that players have been sold to balance the books.
"When you look at the
numbers being mentioned around the Messi deal, I think it's almost an
impossible deal for any club working within the restraints of financial fair
play."
Chelsea, who had an
eight-point lead whittled away by Manchester City and now sit top of the
Premier League only by virtue of alphabetical order, face Newcastle at home on
Saturday.
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