Lionel Messi is expected to leave Barcelona at the end of next season, according to one report in Spain, with the club's all time top scorer fed up with the 'lack of a winning project.'
The club's all time top scorer's contract is set to expire next year but he was initially expected to sign a new deal that would keep him at the club until at least 2023.
However, according to Cadena Ser, the player has now changed his mind and will instead leave when the deal ends. That's because of leaks about his life, being blamed for things that aren't his fault and because of the club's poorly run state.
Earlier this season Messi, and the players as a whole, were blamed by Eric Abidal for the departure of manager Ernesto Valverde, following the loss to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Supercopa.
Advert
Messi denied that he had anything to do with the decision starting a war of words with the director of football, and his former teammate, Abidal.
Things haven't got better on the pitch under new manager Quique Setien and it looks increasingly likely that the Catalan giants will miss out on the La Liga title to rivals Real Madrid.
Problems are mounting off the pitch for Barca and they have problems with finances, with players taking wage cuts up to 70% during the break for Covid-19.
Advert
Transfers such as Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho and even Antoine Griezmann haven't gone according to plan in recent years and the latest move has seen a club who have spent two years trying to bring down the age of their squad swap 23-year-old Arthur for 30-year-old Miralem Pjanic.
In his last few contract agreements it's been known that the Argentinian has had a clause that has allowed him to leave the club at the end of every season, a clause he hasn't taken the option on previously.
It's considered more and more that Messi is carrying the club, something he's clearly struggling to do this season, and it's been a worry that the team have been wasting his final great years, that might soon not be their problem.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Barcelona, Transfer stories, Lionel Messi, Transfer rumours, Transfer news, Spain, Real Madrid, La Liga, Transfer reports
