Lionel Messi set for Barcelona stay as exit clause expires | OneFootball

A clause which would have allowed Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona for free this summer has expired over the weekend.

That’s according to a story on ESPN which claims that the Ballon d’Or winner will remain at Camp Nou for at least another 12 months.

The 32-year-old signed terms back in 2017 that ran until the end of 2020/21, but inserted into that contract was a clause that would have allowed Messi to leave for free this summer so long as he told Barcelona before June.

But it has been confirmed that Messi did not state his desire to leave the Catalan capital and will therefore stay on until at least the end of next season.

El Pais first revealed the details of Messi’s contract situation last September and they were later confirmed by teammate Gerard Piqué, who said Messi has “earned the right to be able to choose what he does with his future after everything he’s given the club.”

Several clubs are believed to have been monitoring the situation, with the likes of Manchester City thought to be interested in signing the record-breaking forward should the chance ever arise.

It’s widely thought though that Messi will eventually end his playing days back home in Argentina with boyhood side Newell’s Old Boys.

“I love Barcelona, but I really do miss Rosario,” he said in February.

For the time being however, Messi will stay at Barcelona and will now look to help them win their 27th LaLiga title when the division returns on June 10.