Lionel Messi to stay at Barcelona next season despite transfer row
Lionel Messi says he will remain at Barcelona next season after performing a shock U-turn on his future.
Messi had believed that a clause in his contract would allow him to leave for free this transfer window, but Barcelona and La Liga insist that his €700m release clause would need to be paid in full.
Messi's speech
"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.”
"I thought and we were sure that I'd be a free agent," Messi told Goal.
"I thought and we were sure that I'd be a free agent," Messi told Goal.
Wtiter's pick:
"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 La Liga season was still ongoing and we were in the midst of this 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."
"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."
Messi says he has never considered taking the matter to trial in order to force an exit from the club where he has spent the entirety of his professional career.
"I would never take Barca to trial because it's the club I love and that's given me everything since I joined," Messi added.
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"It's the club of my life, I'm settled here, Barca have given me everything and I've given them everything. The idea of taking Barca to trial never crossed my mind."
Messi had informed the club of his desire to leave via an official note last week, and did not turn up for the team's first five days of pre-season training under new boss Ronald Koeman.
Messi continues
"It was a massive drama when I told my wife and my sons. The whole family was in tears, my sons didn't want to leave Barcelona or have to change schools," added Messi."I looked at the bigger picture and I want to be competing at the very top of the game, winning trophies and fighting to win the Champions League.
"You can end up winning it or not, because it's a really tough competition, but you've got to give yourselves a fighting chance.
"You've got to at least be in the mix and what we can't be having is what happened against Roma and Liverpool and in Lisbon."
Messi insists he will continue to give his all next season despite seeking a move away from the Nou Camp.
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