Lionel Messi’s leaving the Barca contract ending, clubs have to pay out €700m clause: La Liga.

Days after Lionel Messi’s shock announcement about leaving the club Barcelona, La Liga released a statement saying Barcelona’s contract was still valid. He also failed to attend a pre-season medical of the club.

The 33-year-old Messi has been in Barca throughout his whole career, but the absence at the medical checkup indicates that he wants to leave the club.

La Liga and Barca claimed that Messi the six-time world player of the year has a insist that he has a clause in the contract that allows him to leave the club only on a free transfer.

A clause of €700m is the only way the clubs can sign the legendary argentine forward, said the ruling body.

La Liga said that ‘compliance with the applicable rule La Liga will not allow a approve to request to be re-registered as a player with Spanish football federation unless the amount in the release clause has been paid.’

Every single player of Barca attended the coronavirus test, but according to Reuters footage, Messi did not appear on Sunday morning. He has been due at Barca training ground at 10:15 local time, but a club source confirmed to Reuters he had not arrived.

Clubs wishing to sign him and La Liga stance is a blow to Messi’s hopes of a quick departure.

A deal breaker as Messi’s salary is huge, and only an Abu Dhabi owned club might find a €700m fees. Premier League Manchester City are the favourites which would allow Messi to link up with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

Messi earns around 1 million euros per week and has won more than 30 major trophies with the Spanish club and scored more than 600 goals.

8-2 champions league quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich humiliated Messi very much and in less than two weeks informed Barca on Tuesday he wished to leave immediately plunging the club.