Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona this Summer

Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona this summer.

Barcelona has announced that Lionel Messi is leaving the club after “financial and structural obstacles” made it impossible to renew his contract. The forward, who has spent his whole career there, had been expected to re-sign after his deal expired in June.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner has officially been a free agent since July 1 after he failed to agree to terms over a renewal before his previous Barcelona contract expired on June 30.

“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),” the club said.

“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 aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”

Messi has spent 21 years at Barcelona after joining them in 2000 at the age of 13. He progressed through their academy and made his senior competitive debut at the age of 17 in October 2004 against Espanyol.

Since then, he has made 520 appearances for Barcelona in the league, scoring 474 goals; a La Liga record. He has won the Ballon d’Or six times, the Champions League four times, and La Liga ten times with Barcelona. Messi, now 34, has also won the Copa del Rey seven times.

The question is where Messi, will play next season.

He tried to leave Barcelona in August 2020 after a breakdown in his relationship with president Josep Maria Bartomeu but was forced to stay. Now, when he was keen to continue for longer, it appears he is being made to go.