Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart claims Messi cannot leave until 2021

Lionel Messi recently told FC Barcelona that he intends to leave the club this summer while the transfer window is still open. He plans to invoke the release clause in his contract but, according to former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart, he can’t leave the club right now.

Messi’s contract allows him to leave the team every June 30. The Argentine star stood put and didn’t express his desire to leave before that deadline, thus being forced to fulfil his contract until 2021.

However, some reports claim that he can indeed leave right now because the contract states that he can leave after every season, and the season had to be rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Then again, Gaspart says otherwise.

Joan Gaspart: “Messi Cannot Leave”

“I have seen the contract and it is very clear. The clause ended in June and there is no going back. Iprefer him to leave next year for free than to go for less than€700m. The club rules here, not the player. The club has paid the players. And this is not a matter of moneyanyway, because there is a signed contract and that’s it,” Gaspart told the media.

The infamous Barcelona president went on to add that Josep Maria Bartomeu and the club should by no means engage in negotiations with Lionel Messi and the Argentine has no choice but to stay with the club.

Gaspart Urges Barcelona Not To Negotiate With Messi

“There is a clause of€700m,and contracts are signed to befulfilled. I understand that Messi is being pressured to leave, butif I am the president of Barca, I will not negotiate oneeuro. Not oneeuro,” Gaspart said.

“If Messi leaves for less than what his clause is worth it will be more humiliating than 2-8. I’d rather him go for free next year than this year for €699m. Barcashouldn’t lower the priceone euro,” the former chairman concluded.

There’s an ongoing emergency meeting at Barcelona right now to try and solve this situation but it doesn’t seem like this story is going to come to a happy ending for either side. In the meantime, Barca supporters continue to ask for Bartomeu’s resignation.