Lionel Messi has decided to stay at Barcelona after all, almost a week after saying he wanted out.
The Argentina forward believed a clause in his contract would allow him to leave this summer for free, but Barcelona insisted that his €700m release clause was to be paid in full.
Speaking to Goal Messi said, “I thought and we were sure that I’d be a free agent.”
“The president always told me that I could decide to stay or go at the end of the season and they’re now clinging to the fact that I hadn’t said anything by June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 the LaLiga season was still goin on and we were in the midst of the virus and this illness that altered the whole fixture calendar.
“And that’s the reason why I’m staying on at the club. I’m now staying because the president told me that the only way I could leave was by paying the €700m release clause, which is impossible.”
It will be recalled that Messi had informed Barcelona of his desire to leave the club on Aug 25th, but as it turns out in the end, the six time ballon d’or winner will be staying put for at least another year.
