Barcelona are fearful that Lionel Messi can leave for free next summer due to a clause in his contract, reports L’Equipe.
The Argentine is yet to feature for the LaLiga champions this season through injury, and Barcelona are hoping he’ll be able to return to action after the international break.
Barcelona have struggled in the opening weeks of the new season, picking up just four points from the first three games of the campaign, as their title defence gets off to a stuttering start.
And now the Blaugrana are fearful that they will lose Messi for free at the end of the campaign, with the Argentina international free to negotiate a pre-contract with a new side from January 1st.
Messi’s current deal at Camp Nou runs until 2021, but a clause in his contract, which he penned in 2017, states that he is allowed to leave Barcelona on June 30th 2020.
Messi, 32, was the best rated player in LaLiga, and Europe’s top five leagues, last season as he plundered in 36 league goals and registered an additional 13 assists.
Despite the arrival of Antoine Griezmann over the summer, Barcelona were desperate to sign Neymar, perhaps to prepare for the eventuality of Messi leaving at the end of the campaign.
