Barcelona stunned the football world and sent suitors scurrying for their chequebooks when they announced that Lionel Messi would be leaving the club this summer.

The Spanish aristocrats have been unable to agree a deal with the 34-year-old Argentina international which will allow them to comply with LaLiga’s financial regulations, leading to a parting of the ways.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the issues behind a momentous decision.

How did it come to this?

We should perhaps not be too surprised. Messi signalled his intention to leave the Nou Camp last summer, believing he could do so on a free transfer under the terms of his existing contract. A 700million Euros – around £629million – buy-out clause prevented him from doing so, but the seeds were sown regardless of the club’s financial difficulties.

Are Barcelona really that badly off?

In a word, yes. Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported earlier this year that the club’s debt stood at 1.173billion Euros – £850million – and their wage bill currently accounts for 110 per cent of their income, a situation president Joan Laporta knows means they are on the wrong side of financial fair play regulations.

How expensive is Messi?

Very. Reports suggest Messi’s basic salary amounts to 45million Euros, or £38.2million, and that he was willing to take a cut of more than 50 per cent to sign a new deal. Barca’s statement claims the two parties had reached an agreement, but that the LaLiga rules simply do not allow it to be completed.

Is the club’s announcement a bargaining ploy?

A good question. There is little doubt that Messi’s profile has promoted LaLiga’s product to a worldwide audience and his battle with Cristiano Ronaldo for the title of the greatest of all time is the soap opera which keeps giving. The governing body will not want to be seen as the villain of the piece, the role in which they appear to have been cast by the Nou Camp hierarchy. However, whether that and the public outcry which will inevitably follow the news will prompt a relaxation of the rules remains to be seen.

If not Barcelona, then where next for Messi?

Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris St Germain are two of the few clubs in world football with pockets deep enough to contemplate a move for a man whose advancing years are unlikely to provide a barrier to his future employment. Major League Soccer, where his enduring quality would enable him to play on for many years more, could provide a halfway house towards a return to his roots in Argentina, but the romantics in Rosario will inevitably pin their hopes on Messi’s suggestion that he would one day like to return to the club where he launched his glittering career, Newell’s Old Boys.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/lionel-messi-major-league-soccer-spanish-nou-camp-joan-laporta-b1897803.html%3famp

You wouldn't want to be Messi's agent today, calls will kill your battery.

But with the pattern Messi and Barca has gone in years, I will not be surprised to hear a reversal in the decision to part ways.

And I heard Arsenal agents were Chased out, while one got slapped when they came to sign Messi with £1.3m a year offer, is it true??

nuf said, why didn't you mention Chelsea in the clubs with deep pockets that can sigh Messi, Abi you're in Ibrahimovic's pocket??

Perfectbeing:
Perhaps when Chelsea are able to afford a stadium of their own instead of being tenants, they can join landlords to bid for Messi..

Let me educate you, Mr Landlord. The idea that Chelsea doesn't have a stadium doesn't mean he can't afford one. So let me ask you, before I tell you, who Owns the Chelsea stadium?? I am guessing you don't know, you simply chose to say what others say.

Chelsea Stadium is owned by Chelsea fan Club. Due to financial issues in the 70s, they took ownership and maintenance of the stadium. When Ibrahimovic bought the club, He wanted to buy the stadium from them, but they resisted the idea, because they wanted to continue to own and maintain it as their contribution to the club. Ibrahimovic can't buy the stadium from them because it's thousands of Fans, so you can't get around them. He also attamted to build entirely a new stadium elsewhere, they also protested.

Clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona are owned by Fan Clubs, thats thousands of Fans who own the club and come together year to year to decide on key issues.

you're welcome!

Too bad for soccer ⚽

With PSG and Man City having financial fair play to watch out for, Messi is likely to be signed for a much lower wage that's is if not clubless till January.

He stayed for 18years. It's time to test other pitches. He is GOATED. Anyways fam, I am available to write your academic assignments,. thesis, and dissertation.

He is a great guy....my only advice for him is to stay off the premier league.

90% of barca fans are free agents

Paulolee where do u stand

PataAlhajaKeji:
Lionel Messi to Arsenal in few days to come.

Haters can go and die.

We're serious here, u guys are in same league with Enugu rangers

.

You have served Barcelona already

From Abba Kyari we move to Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi to Arsenal in few days to come.

Haters can go and die.

I'm sure he'll take half of camp Nou fans with him.

9jayes:
Hows Liverpool as the biggest club the British has ever produced not be able financially to sigh Messi baffles me

They can if they want to. They are just not committed to paying huge salaries

Liverpool can try buy Messi na....

complexBoss12:
You wouldn't want to be Messi's agent today, calls will kill your battery.

But with the pattern Messi and Barca has gone in years, I will not be surprised to hear a reversal in the decision to part ways.

And I heard Arsenal agents were Chased out, while one got slapped when they came to sign Messi with £1.3m a year offer, is it true??

nuf said, why didn't you mention Chelsea in the clubs with deep pockets that can sigh Messi, Abi you're in Ibrahimovic's pocket??

If you ask me na who I go come ask ?

They is still hope because there is no reaction to his team mates, no player has said anything yet, opponent players from other clubs have not reacted yet and Messi himself has not said anything.But the question we can ask ourselves is that, why was Joan Laporta signing free agent players despite that he was willing to let Messi renew the contract?


Guys give your opinion

Y did u put him in arsenal jersey *spits* abomination


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpqL80_7pWA&t=7s

We're the Arsenal fans in Nigeria are donating 500 naira to enable us sign Messi.
#Messi2Arsenal
#HelpsignMessi

phr0nesis:
How

Hows Liverpool as the biggest club the British has ever produced not be able financially to sigh Messi baffles me

Messiless Messi has milked Barcelona to the grave and jumped ship. Only what Barcelona paid him can buy a club, salaries, bonuses, even bonus to sign a contract.

Emirates is calling

ojaysam25:
He is a great guy....my only advice for him is to stay off the premier league.

Why or are you afraid?

Pessi again....

Anywhere messi goes I muueeeeveeee�� my contract with Barcelona don expire already �

Messi was greedy. Very greedy.

If baca wise, they should let go of Messi, legends come legends go, Messi can never be an exception. Infact last year was golden opportunity to let go of Messi.

In every football club, a time to shine and a time to go low, after going low, they recruit younger players, train and go high again.

But Barca want to be in apex and not want to go low which is absolutely not possible.


If Messi go, pressure to win all trophies would reduce on Barca and would have adequate time to plan and develop another new set of players and go higher again.