The Wednesday meeting between Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, who also doubles as his agent with Barcelona Club President, Josep Maria Bartomeu, to find an amicable solution on Messi’s bid to leave the club ended in a stalemate, according to reports.
Marca and Mundo Depotivo say the meeting, which lasted for about 1.30 minutes, ended without a deal.
Messi and Barcelona are bickering over the interpretation of a clause in the player’s contract which gives him the option to depart the club at the end of every season, which normally would have been in June, but for the coronavirus pandemic that disrupted the global sporting calendar.
Barcelona is insisting that any club that wants the services of the Argentine must pay the 700 million euro (830.20 million dollars) buyout clause as included in the contract. Messi’s contract at the club expires in June 2021.
THEWILL had previously reported that Messi handed Barcelona a transfer request last week after the club’s embarrassing 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Quarterfinal of the Champions League.
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Jorge Messi had also said it would be “difficult” for Messi to wear a Barcelona jersey again. The star has turned his back on the club and did not present himself for the coronavirus testing for the team.