The Argentine is seeking a way out of Camp Nou this summer, but Spanish football’s main governing body says he cannot leave the club as a free agent
Lionel Messi can only leave Barcelona if his €700 million (£624m/$823m) release clause is met, La Liga have confirmed on Sunday.
Messi handed in a transfer request to the Barca board last week, with a view to triggering the clause in his contract which allows him to leave the club at the end of each season.
The clause in question technically expired in June, but the Argentine’s legal team are ready to argue that he should be allowed to terminate his deal unilaterally.
Manchester City is thought to be the most likely next destination for Messi, with Goal reporting that ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola has been in touch over a potential reunion at Etihad Stadium.
Paris-Saint Germain, Juventus and Manchester United are also thought to be considering a move for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner, but La Liga have now revealed their stance on his current situation.
Spanish football’s main governing body have insisted that the terms of Messi’s current contract, which is due to run until 2021, remain valid, which means he will not be able to leave the club unless a potential suitor pays his €700 million (£624m/$823m) buy-out clause in full.
Nota informativa.
— LaLiga (@LaLiga) August 30, 2020
An official statement on La Liga’s website reads: “In relation to the different interpretations (some of them contradictory to each other) published in recent days in different media, related to the contractual situation of the player Lionel Andres Messi with FC Barcelona, La Liga considers it convenient to clarify that, once the player’s contract with his club:
“The contract is currently in force and has a ‘termination clause’ applicable to the event that Lionel Andres Messi decides to urge the early unilateral termination of the contract of June 26, by which regulates the special employment relationship of professional athletes.
“In compliance with the applicable regulations, and following the corresponding procedure in these cases, La Liga will not carry out the prior visa process for the player to be removed from the federation if they have not previously paid the amount of said clause.”
Messi’s battle to secure a move away from Barca is now threatening to become a drawn-out saga, despite the fact that he has already decided that he no longer wishes to play for the club.
The 33-year-old purposely failed to report for medical testing at the club’s training facility ahead of the new season in order to put pay to any lingering doubts over his mindset.
It had initially been suggested that Messi’s declaration of intent over a transfer was sent to try and provoke Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu into resigning, but his decision centres more around his desire to compete for top titles than the state of affairs in the board room.
The Argentina international does not feel that he can fulfil his remaining career goals at Camp Nou, and wants to remain at the highest level for another two or three years before hanging up his boots.
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