Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, the La Liga club said on Thursday, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of deal.
Messi held talks with the club on Thursday but the meeting did not go well and the Catalan side have confirmed he will not return.
“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish La Liga regulations),” Barca said in a statement.
“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
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“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”
Messi was free to negotiate a transfer with other clubs after his deal ran out at the end of June, but Barcelona had always maintained he wanted to stay with the club. The 34-year-old was reported to sign a new five-year deal.
Messi had tried to leave Barcelona in August 2020, making a formal request for an exit after a breakdown in his relationship with then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu but successor Joan Laporta, who presided over the Argentine’s rise to greatness, convinced him to stay.
Messi has spent his entire career at Barcelona, coming through the club’s academy before going on to score 672 goals in 778 appearances after making his senior debut in 2003.
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COMMENTS
Oh no….Wind don blow fowl nyash don open…..Let us now watch how he is gonna play football without his class mates…..Let us now watch if he will win a trophy without his classmates…..Let us now watch if he will stay in Europe and prove himself like Or he will run to is boyhood club in Argentina…..Let us now watch if he will lead the scorer’s chat in any European club ever again without his classmates…..Messi has a lot to prove before he can ever be called a GOAT….. Thank God Barcelona gave the world the chance to end this debate before he hung his boots….Thank God Barcelona didn’t allow him claim the GOAT playing with his classmates…..OH please nobody should tell me about age here because he can still do enough at 34 to prove he is the GOAT.
This is a good and bad news,bad news,I will love to see Messi play in another league , preferably inter Milan just to bring attention back to Italian football again.
Keep calm….dont get too excited, Man city and PSG are hot on his trails now. He can still continue his trophy laden run in any of those clubs even at the ripe old age of 34, including an extra UCL trophy if you take into account the fact that both teams reached the final of the last two UCLs only to both lose narrowly. The “messi effect” might just be what either team needs to win the UCL next time.
Another pathetic talks again, I wonder what you people use in making a judgment. So who on earth is the GOAT if not Messi. He has nothing to prove Messi is greatest of greats!
This guy is going no where. Barca will do everything to keep him and Messi is not in a hurry to leave.
@Honestly better believe messi is gone.
Barca is facing a lot of financial challenge.
It’s good for him. Despite his great achievement, I still put Ronaldo above him because Ronaldo has proved himself in more clubs and leagues. He has the opportunity to equal that now.