Kerry Mayodi
The Argentine star’s latest deal expired this summer, but he was expected to commit to a new contract ahead of the new season.
Messi held talks with the club on Thursday. Although both parties hoped to reach an agreement that would see Messi remain at Camp Nou, the club announced last night that due to La Liga regulations regarding wage limits, it would not be possible to confirm the Argentine’s contract extension.
Messi had agreed to sign a new five-year contract with the Spanish giants. The 34-year-old was set to accept a deal that would see his weekly wage reduced by 50 per cent.
But the club’s financial situation made it impossible for them to register him for the new season without drastically reducing their wage bill.
The news came as a major shock to everyone all over the world, and according to Diario SPORT, the sudden reversal was equally astonishing for Messi himself, who was reportedly left very surprised at this abrupt breakdown when things were going well.
According to the report, Messi had his heart set on continuing his football career at his boyhood club after refusing numerous offers from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, but the recent turn of events has left him deeply affected emotionally.
Many football fans all over the world still believe that the saga is not over and that Barca is still working with the Argentine football icon to resolve the issue. However, it seems unlikely that the situation can be reversed as Messi’s 20 years at Camp Nou have seemingly come to an end.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has scheduled a press conference today to elaborate on what exactly the issue is.
Other reports also state that Messi, while heartbroken, does not want to leave before saying goodbye to the fans, but he also wants to take time to reflect on how to proceed after this staggering turn of events.
