Reports: Lionel Messi now '90% likely to stay' at Barcelona

Lionel Messi is now '90% likely to stay' at Barcelona following crunch talks between the club and his father Jorge Messi, according to TyC Sports. The report suggests that the Barcelona captain will see out the remaining year of his contract at the Camp Nou before seeking a move abroad.

The Argentine had a clause in his contract which allowed him to leave at the end of last season. The 33-year-old ace recently elected to use the clause to secure a free transfer away from the club but the clause expired in July.

Lionel Messi is Evens to stay at Barca (2.6 last night) - Surely a smart bet?

— Pete Evans (@PeteEvans87) September 3, 2020

Lionel Messi likely to stay at Barcelona

Lionel Messi is considering the possibility of seeing out his contract at Barcelona

The report by Argentine outlet TyC Sports suggests that the meeting between Lionel Messi's representatives and Barcelona ended in a stalemate, forcing the Argentine talisman to consider seeing out his contract with the Blaugrana. Meanwhile, the club is intent on convincing the player to stay at the club.

Manchester City seemed to be in pole position to land the iconic number 10 and were believed to have prepared a €500-million contract with the City Football Group. Pep Guardiola, who continues to have a relationship with Messi, was reportedly instrumental in convincing the six-time Ballon d'Or winner to choose the Premier League side.

Other clubs, including Italian champions Juventus and French champions Paris Saint-Germain, have also explored the possibility of a transfer for Messi.

🚨🚨🚨 Cuenta @arevalo_martin en @presionalta: "Hay 90% de chances que Messi siga en Barcelona. Mañana tendrá una decisión definitiva". 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/m9Mx69PkdK

— César Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) September 2, 2020

Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font, who is the favourite to take over from Josep Maria Bartomeu, reiterated the need for the club to keep a good relationship with the Argentine even if he decides to leave the club during the current transfer window. He said:

Until it's over there is always hope. And therefore I really hope the decision can be changed. It doesn't seem likely, though, and therefore if that's the case, the focus should be on making the transition as smooth as possible. And the ties between Messi and Barcelona that go very deep, remain there, so we can ensure somehow, the relationship continues in the future.

Lionel Messi has been disappointed by his club's inability to compete in Europe, having exited the UEFA Champions League in embarrassing fashion in the last three campaigns. The last time Messi put on the Barcelona shirt, his club lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich.