Ronald Koeman has broken the silence of his departure from Barcelona by questioning the club’s decision not to renew Lionel Messi’s contract last summer.
The Holland coach was sacked at the end of October following the club’s poor start to the season and expressed surprise at their decision to release Messi before signing Ferran Torres in January for $ 55 million.
“I accepted the departure of some players because of the team’s persistence so that they could put their finances in perspective,” Koeman told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
“But when you see them signing [Ferran Torres] for 55 million euros just after letting Lionel Messi go, you wonder if something else is going on.
“Why did Messi have to leave?”
Barcelona’s January signings
Barcelona have invested heavily in the January transfer window, and Koeman went on to add that he would like to be able to work with a team of players brought in.
“I would also love [those players],” he said.
“But I’m happy with the team because things are going well for the players as well.”
