Messi to leave Barcelona after 20 years, sparking scramble for signature

Lionel Messi will end his 20-year career with Barcelona after the Argentine superstar and the Spanish giants were unable to overcome “economic and structural obstacles” to a new deal.

The announcement on Thursday that a player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time is on the market will spark a scramble for his signature, with wealthy Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City potentially in the frame.

Messi has played 788 games for the club, a Barcelona record, and won 35 trophies in a glittering career in Spain.

Barcelona had been expected to announce that the 34-year-old six-time Ballon d’Or winner would stay, but in a statement the club said negotiations had broken down.

“Although an agreement has been reached between FC Barcelona and Leo Messi it cannot be formalised due to economic and structural obstacles,” the statement said.

“Faced with this situation, Lionel Messi will not be staying at Barcelona. Both sides deeply regret that the wishes of both the player and the club cannot come true.

“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”

Messi himself has yet to comment, possibly suggesting that there might be another twist in the saga.

Last month the Argentine forward finally landed a major international trophy with his country when they beat rivals Brazil to win the Copa America.

But there had been doubts over his future at Barcelona ever since he tried to leave last August as a free agent, citing a clause in his contract.

In a bitter standoff then between player and club, Messi bemoaned that Barca had “no project or anything for a long time” but eventually agreed to line up for another year when the club threatened to take the issue to the courts.

In the 2020-2021 season, Messi showed little sign of his advancing age as he played 47 games in four different club competitions and scored 38 goals.

The man who signed his first contract with Barcelona in 2000 on a napkin when he was just 13 has been a free agent since June 30 when his old agreement expired.