Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona

After months and months of speculation, the penny has finally dropped, and Lionel Messi will leave FC Barcelona this summer, ending his 21-year stay and 17-year playing career with the Catalan club.

Barcelona confirmed in a statement released on social media that Messi – whose contract ended at the end of last season – will not renew his deal and exit the Nou Camp after scoring 672 goals in 778 appearances for the club, while also winning 34 trophies and 6 Ballon D’Ors in his time at Catalunya.

The statement read “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).

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.”

While Messi’s contract with his boyhood club expired on the 1st of July 2021, the reports suggested that he had agreed on a new 5-year deal with Barcelona after agreeing on a 50% wage cut. However, as it turns out, the two parties have failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension due to La Liga spending regulations.

What are the La Liga Spending regulations?

Just like UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, La Liga have strict spending regulations for each club which has reduced Barcelona’s wage limit from €671 million to €382.7 million this season due to their loss of revenue following the impact of Covid-19. Barcelona are projected to lose €487 million for last season, and with these spending regulations, the club can’t afford to renew Messi’s contract due to their already exorbitant wage bill.

What now for Lionel Messi?

As a free agent, Messi is free to negotiate with other clubs from around Europe, and the reports suggest that PSG are currently leading the race to sign the Argentinian. Considering Messi’s enormous salary, only a handful of teams can afford to sign the 34-year-old, but PSG and Mauricio Pochettino are confident that they can secure his services and reunite him with his former Barcelona clubmate Neymar.

Manchester City were the frontrunners to sign Messi in 2020, but after signing Jack Grealish for £100 million and looking to spend a similar sum on Harry Kane from Tottenham, a reunion between Messi and Guardiola in Manchester is unlikely at this stage.