MADRID: Football legend Lionel Messi has told Barcelona he intends to leave the club. The Argentine superstar has had a disappointing season by his lofty standards, a situation further worsened by the Champions League 8-2 thrashing at the hands of eventual winners Bayern Munich.
There has been much speculation about his future after he informed new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman he was `more out that in’ the club. Koeman had also made it clear Messi would no longer be given special treatment under his leadership.
Clubs believed to be in the running to sign Messi include Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain where he could play alongside former teammate Neymar, Inter Milan and Manchester City, all with the financial wherewithal to pay his huge salary and the EUR700mn release clause for him to leave Barcelona.