Lionel Messi ‘informs Barcelona he wants to leave this summer’

Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi has reportedly informed the Catalan giants of his desire to leave the club this summer.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is out of contract at Camp Nou in 2021, and speculation over Messi’s future has only intensified following Barcelona’s humiliating exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Off-the-field problems have also bedevilled La Blaugrana throughout the 2019-20 campaign, and Messi has supposedly made a decision on his future as the season draws to a close.

According to Esporte Interativo, Messi has told the Catalan giants that he wants to leave immediately after being left unimpressed by the direction that the club is heading in.

The report claims that Barcelona’s failure to retain their La Liga title also played a key part in Messi’s decision, and both Manchester City and Inter Milan have been tipped to move for the 33-year-old should he call time on his Barca career.

Messi has chalked up 634 goals from 731 appearances for La Blaugrana across all competitions, and the Barcelona captain has won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns in that time.