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Barcelona believe the only way Lionel Messi can legally leave for free is if he agrees not to play football next season, sources told ESPN.
Barça’s interpretation of a much-debated clause in Messi’s deal is that he could leave the club, but would have to give up his salary for one season and could not sign for a new club until next summer, when his current terms will expire from anyway.
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Messi, 33, tries to exercise a clause in the contract he signed in 2017 that allows him to leave for free at the end of each season. Barça sources have told ESPN that the deadline to activate the clause to sign on the other hand expired in June.
Messi’s legal team continues to argue that he has already unilaterally terminated his contract with the club. For that reason, the forward did not show up at the start of the preseason on Sunday, as it would have compromised that claim. Barça returned to pre-season training on Monday without the club captain.
Meanwhile, reports in Spain over the weekend claimed Messi’s € 700 million buyout clause is no longer active, leading to further confusion.
Barça insists that this is not the case and La Liga agreed with them on Sunday, saying they have had access to the contract. In a brief statement, the league said Messi’s agreement is still active and that they would not facilitate his registration for another club without the clause being paid.
According to several legal experts consulted by ESPN, the clause of Messi’s contract can be interpreted in various ways. If he and the club cannot reach an understanding, the difference of opinion could lead to a landmark court case.
Despite the confrontation, sources have told ESPN that Barça’s offer for Messi to extend his contract at the Camp Nou for two more years remains on the table.
Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu wants to sit down with Messi’s father and agent Jorge when he lands in Spain this week to sign an agreement that would link the player to the club until 2023.
The sources did not reveal the exact terms of the deal to ESPN, but confirmed that the salary would be similar to what Messi earns, about 100 million euros gross annually.
However, the club is not optimistic that Messi will sign the deal, given his desire to leave the club, and Manchester City remain the favorites to sign the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Meanwhile, sources told ESPN that Barça plan to respond to Messi’s latest burofax, which arrived last week explaining that he would not be attending preseason, asking him to reconsider his position of wanting to leave the club as they struggle to maintain their scoring record. .
