James Pallotta: 'Unethical' Barcelona should offer Roma Messi for hijacking Malcom deal
ByTNT Sports
Updated 27/07/2018 at 11:12 GMT+1
Roma president James Pallotta has refused to accept Barcelona’s apology for apparently stealing Malcom from their grasp – and believes they should offer Lionel Messi to make up for their “immoral” behaviour.
Malcom (Barcelona)
Image credit: Eurosport
Roma were in line to completed the Brazilian winger’s transfer from Bordeaux until Barca hijacked the move at the last minute in completing the player's 41m euros (£36.5m) move on Thursday.
Malcolm was apparently on his way to Roma for a medical until the French club accepted Barca’s offer at the 11th hour and told him to head for Spain.
"In terms of Barcelona, it looks like a pattern for them over the last few years of doing things that just should not be done at a club with the reputation that Barcelona intends to have," said Pallotta said.
"In fact, they apologised for their actions and how they went about things. I don't accept the apology.
The only way I'll accept it is on either one of two conditions: one, they give the player to us. That's obviously not going to happen. Two, maybe as a goodwill gesture at the very least they could send us Messi!
Pallotta has suggested Roma will take legal action over Barcelona’s conduct in signing a player who had already agreed to join them. The 21-year-old scored 20 goals and provided 13 assists in 84 games for Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
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James Pallotta
Image credit: Getty Images
"I think in this case the player wanted to come to us. I think a lot of clubs were interested in him but did not want to bother him because maybe they did not think they had a shot at him in terms of the timing,” said Pallotta.
"We had a guy over there talking with the player in person. The deal was done.
I have zero problem battling it out for a player with another big club, if we are all going through the same process trying to get him. That's the way it works.
"But, at the end of the day, when the deal is done and completely agreed.. we all know how it works, the kid comes in for a medical and then it is signed.
Other teams know not to come in and do what Barcelona did. Bordeaux should never have done what they did – the legal side will come later, but it is immoral and unethical too.
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