Lionel Messi Tells FC Barcelona He Wants To Leave Club, Report Claims

Lionel Messi has told FC Barcelona he wants to leave the club, a report claims.

According to TyC Sports in his homeland of Argentina on Tuesday afternoon, the captain has communicated his wishes via fax.

He would like to utilize the clause in his contract that allows him to terminate after the end of each season, according to exclusive information obtained by TyC, and would consequently become a free agent immediately.

Ending a 20-year relationship with the Blaugrana in the process, Messi has been angered by a trophyless campaign in 2019/2020 that has seen two head coaches fired amid various scandals behind the scenes at the Camp Nou.

Last Thursday, he met with Barça’s third manager since January, Ronald Koeman, and reportedly told the Dutchman he saw his future “more out of the club” than in.

At the turn of the week, it is unlikely that Messi will have approved of Koeman disturbing close friend Luis Suarez while on vacation in Bermuda to tell the striker he is no longer wanted by the Catalans.

Back in Argentina, Olé ran a story this morning alleging that Messi had already made his decision and would reveal it in the coming hours.

And if TyC are to be believed, he has already done so to the club at least, in a development that will send shockwaves around the soccer world.

Previously, it had been believed that Messi would only leave Barça if a rival club triggered his monstrous €700mn ($826mn) release clause — an unlikely event given his current deal is set to expire in less than a year’s time anyway.

But if he is set to become a free agent some 10 months earlier than expected, made available to contest the upcoming 2020/2021 term elsewhere, a string of top clubs that can afford his high salary will enter combat to sign him.

Inter Milan, PSG and Manchester City are the main frontrunners, and it has been rumored that City’s cross-city rivals Manchester United are also interested in the 33-year-old player.

Least likely, however, but still not impossible to rule out, is a potential return to Newell’s Old Boys where it all started for Messi in Rosario.