Lionel Messi reportedly wants out of Barcelona and has told new head coach Ronald Koeman he intends to leave this summer.
“The end of the glorious era of Lionel Messi at Barcelona seems to be close. After the arrival of Ronald Koeman, what looks like the exit of his friend Luis Suarez and a difficult and turbulent end to the season, Messi told Barcelona in a fax of his intention to leave the club.” Spanish Once radio station said.
According to Spanish media, the Argentina superstar was asking Barcelona to allow him active a clause in his contract that allows him to move on a free transfer this summer.
“In principal, this clause expired on June 10, but the unusual nature of this season disrupted by the coronavirus opened the way for Messi to ask to be released from his contract now,” Spanish sports daily Marca wrote.
“It’s the first step towards opening negotiations over his departure, on the basis of which his release clause amounts to 700 million euros.” Marca added.
Barcelona’s Champions League dreams ended in humiliating and brutal fashion as German giants Bayern Munich inflicted their heaviest defeat in the quarter-finals in Lisbon on Sunday.
The Spanish giants then sacked their head coach Quique Setien on Monday, seven months in the job despite having signed a contract until June 2022.
Manchester City is seen as a possible destination for Messi. The most successful football of the 33-year striker’s career was under former head coach Pep Guardiola who has been in charge at Etihad since 2016.
It was under Guardiola’s management that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner took his game to a level unheard of, a level that enabled him to break records left and right, score 91 goals in 2012 and win every trophy available to the Blaugrana.
