Lionel Messi is reportedly demanding the inclusion of a release clause in his new contract with Barcelona.
Spanish publication AS have sensationally claimed that Argentine superstar and global icon Lionel Messi is demanding that there be a release clause inserted into his Barcelona deal as part of his contract extension. The Argentine’s previous deals at the Catalan club has not involved a release clause until now and the report of the mercurial forward’s demand of the inclusion of the same is most likely to hit the club and their supporters hard.
However, the report by AS has said that the release clause that Lionel Messi is likely to demand from Barcelona is going to be a bit different than other release clauses. According to the Spanish publication, the 28-year-old shall demand the inclusion of a clause which will allow the superstar to leave the club in favour of his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys if and when the Argentine international so desires.
Fellow Spanish publication Diario Gol have also backed AS’s story and stated that Lionel Messi desires to leave the club one day for Newell’s Old Boys and that the player does not want Barcelona to create a hurdle between Messi and his boyhood club.
With his deal due to expire in June 2018 – meaning that there is less than 2 years left on his current deal – Barcelona are reportedly desperate to renew Lionel Messi’s contract and may decide to accept the Argentine’s demand than to worry about the possibility of losing the superstar on a free transfer to one of their rivals or other European giants, which will result in a huge loss in finance, reputation and global appeal.
Despite achieving almost all of his success in Europe with Barcelona, it is no secret that Lionel Messi has Newell’s Old Boys still in his heart and wishes to end his career at the club he started playing football at. And the superstar’s desire to do the aforementioned can be gauged by the fact that he is willing to demand the insertion of a clause that lets him do the very exact thing.