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Lionel Messi Has A Special Clause In His FC Barcelona Contract

Lionel Messi Has A Special Clause In His FC Barcelona Contract

Barcelona want to tie him down to a new deal...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Lionel Messi has a special clause in his FC Barcelona contract that could hold the key to his future, it has emerged.

The five-time Ballon d'Or signed a contract extension until 2021 with the Blaugrana last year but Mundo Deportivo say the club want to tie their all-time record goalscorer to another new deal until 2022, with the option of an extra year if all parties agree to it.

They aren't in a major rush to get the Barca skipper to sign on the dotted line just yet and will likely wait until next season before talks begin.

But as part of the same story, the Catalan outlet report that there is a rather strange clause in Messi's Barcelona deal that allows him to leave on a free transfer in 2020 - as long as it is a non-elite team.

It rules out the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain luring him from the Nou Camp but it does mean Messi would be able to do what Xavi and Iniesta, now playing in Qatar and Japan respectively, have both done in their post-Barcelona careers.

Furthermore, he would also be able to return to boyhood club Newell's Old Boys and finish his career there - something he has been very vocal about in the past.

Do you think Messi will ever leave Barcelona?

Sound off in the comments.

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Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi