Lionel Messi is reportedly ready to end his long stint at Barcelona by requesting to leave the club.
According to various sources, the Argentinian is ready to quit the Camp Nou after a disastrous 2019/20 season. The club finished the season trophyless and suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, resulting in the departure of former boss Quique Setien.
Due to that and a predicted overhaul under new boss Ronald Koeman, 33-year-old Messi has requested to leave the club for free. Apparently, there is set to be an emergency meeting between the player and the club’s hierarchy to at first convince him to remain in Barcelona but if not, only depart for a fee that the club deems reasonable.
There was reportedly a clause in Messi’s deal that would allow him to leave the club for nothing but that clause apparently expired in June, with just a year to run of that current contract.
Should he depart, it would draw to a close a remarkable two decades for Messi and Barcelona. Progressing through the club’s youth system, Messi has gone on to make 731 appearances and scored 634 goals. In that time, he has won 10 La Liga crowns, six Copas del Rey and four UEFA Champions Leagues, as well as six Ballon d’Ors.
Manchester City are the current favourites to sign Messi by the end of the summer transfer window at a price of 9/4 with William Hill.
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