The Lionel Messi transfer saga looks like it's far from over. In the latest development, Lionel Messi's father, Jorge Messi has written a letter to La Liga president Javier Tebas, rebuffing their claim that a buyout clause exists. La Liga had earlier back Barcelona and said the contract has to be upheld and Messi cannot leave the club without his buyout clause being fulfilled.
In the letter, Messi camp reiterated that they believe that Messi's 700 million euros buyout clause is no longer valid if the player decided to leave after the 2019-20 season, and that La Liga have made a mistake.
Jorge's statement on behalf of Lionel reads:
1. We don't know what contract they've seen and analysed to back up claims only the buyout clause is applicable even if the player decides to unilaterally terminate his contract after the 2019-20 season.
2. This must be a major error on their part. As is written in the clause 8.2.3.6 of the contract signed by the club and the player: "This compensation won't be applied when the player has decided to unilaterally end his contract after the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. It's obvious the compensation of 700 million euros, as mentioned in the previous 8.2.3.5 clause, can't be applied at all."
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has been strongly linked with a Barcelona exit this summer after growing increasingly disheartened at the club. After he informed the Barcelona board of his desire, Barcelona insisted that a clause included in Messi's contract that allowed him to go for free this summer had to be activated by June 10. They further said the only way the 33-year-old will be allowed to depart now is via the payment of 700 million euros.
However, the Messi camp claims that they triggered an exit clause in his contract, which he believes he could do as soon as the season ended, which was extended due to coronavirus pandemic. Barcelona claim it had to be triggered before June 10, exactly how it's mentioned in the contract.
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