Lionel Messi leaves Barcelona, after both player and club failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.
The club confirmed this in a statement released on their official social media handles on Thursday 5th August 2021, saying that Lionel Messi and the club could not reach an agreement on a new contract due to Spanish Liga financial regulations.
“Lionel Messi Leaves Barcelona”
“Despite club and player reaching an agreement and their clear intention to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles.
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 Liga regulations),” the club said.
The statement by Barcelona continued:
“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.
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,” the club added.
The heartbreaking news for Barcelona fans and football lovers, will see Lionel Messi leaving the club he has played for all his footballing career for 21-years. But nothing has been said as to where the Argentine who recently won his first major trophy with his national team will be heading to next, with Manchester City and PSG rumoured to be his likely destination.
Barcelona had been banking on Lionel Messi committing the remainder of his career to the Nou Camp, though have been hindered for weeks by their dire financial situation.
The forward was set to take a 50 per cent pay deduction from his previous deal, which was worth in excess of £425million over four years, in order for Barca to be able to re-register him with La Liga.
This would have meant that Messi’s earnings would have been slashed by £250,000 every week on the proposed new five-year contract.
The player is yet to issue a statement on the latest development, but fans have been reacting on social media.