'Messi cannot leave' – Former Barcelona president says star unable to opt out now

Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart believes that Lionel Messi can be unable to go away the membership free of charge this summer time, regardless of the participant’s needs. 

The 33-year-old is aiming to depart Camp Nou by activating a clause in his contract that might permit him to go away on a free switch — regardless of his contract not expiring till the top of the 2020-21 season.

Messi and his authorized staff consider the clause will permit him to terminate his deal unilaterally, with Barca helpless within the matter.

The Argentine’s present deal has a €700 million (£630m/$828m) launch clause, a determine designed to make it unattainable for an additional membership to steal him away from Barca.

Talking to Radio Marca, Gaspart, who was president of Barca between 2000 and 2003, insisted that Messi can’t unilaterally terminate his deal now, saying that clause expired in June. 

“I’ve seen the contract and it is rather clear. The clause led to June and there’s no going again,” Gaspart stated.

“I choose him to go away subsequent yr free of charge than to go for lower than €700m. The membership guidelines right here, not the participant. The membership has paid the gamers. And this isn’t a matter of cash anyway, as a result of there’s a signed contract and that is it.”

Gaspert has suggested present Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu to carry agency and never negotiate any sale.

“There’s a clause of €700m, and contracts are signed to be fulfilled,” Gaspert continued. “I perceive that Messi is being pressured to go away, however if I’m the president of Barca, I cannot negotiate one euro. Not one euro.”

Messi is known to be livid with Barca’s Eight-2 humiliation to Bayern Munich within the Champions League earlier this month, however Gaspert has stated that Messi being allowed to decide out of his deal now can be much more embarrassing for the membership than that quarter-final end result. 

“If Messi leaves for lower than what his clause is value will probably be extra humiliating than 2-Eight,” Gaspert stated.

“I would moderately him go free of charge subsequent yr than this yr for €699m. Barca should not decrease the value one euro.”