Lionel Messi To Leave Barcelona For Free

Lionel Messi has spent his entire professional career at Nou Camp and that is about to come to an end as he is free to leave Barcelona in the penultimate year of his contract expiration.

With 10 La Liga and four Champions League titles won in his spell has lasted uninterrupted for 15 seasons, the Argentine is undoubtedly one of the finest players who ever played at the club and the club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu favour his leaving should he choose to leave in summer of 2020.

"Messi signed until 2021. It was agreed that at the end of the penultimate season he is at liberty to leave for free," Bartomeu told Barca TV. "He has earned that freedom to decide his future, but he is very Cule (meaning Barcelona fan) and I am calm."

At many times, top European clubs have indicated their interest in the 32-year-old, who in the period of his reign at the club, has won Fifa Ballon d'Or five times and voted eight times La Liga Player of the Year.

Bartomeu explained why he believes the forward might want to take up new challenge saying that the same clause applied to Xavi Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol and not in doubt that "he will stay for many years" at the club again.

Messi has been challenged many times by his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo who had asked him to try a new club just as he has done. Whilst Messi has only played for Barcelona, Ronaldo has played for three clubs before joining Juventus from Real Madrid.

"Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and [Carles] Puyol all had the same clause and we couldn't give Messi a different clause, but I repeat, I am in no doubt he will stay for many years."