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What's the rumour?
According to Mundo Deportivo, Lionel Messi could leave Barcelona on a free in just within two years owing to a surprise detail in his deal.
If the aforementioned report is to be believed, even though the 31-year-old has a contract at the Camp Nou until 2021, a 'special exit clause' could see the Argentine bid adieu to the La Liga Champions in 2020, only to join a 'non-elite club'.
In case you didn't know...
Messi, on a number of occasions, has already intimated his interest to stay in Spain until he is no longer able to play to the best of his ability.
The striker has already been targeted by David Beckham's MLS franchise, which will begin playing in the States at the start of the 2020/21 season.
The heart of the matter
A similar clause was embedded in contracts of Xavi and Iniesta that saw both the legends depart from Barcelona to join clubs in Qatar and Japan respectively.
However, speaking of Lionel Messi, he still seems to have 3 to 4 years on his side before he starts petering out. So far, the Argentine ace has shown no signs of slowing down as evidenced by his spectacular start to the 2018/19 season.
Rumour probability: 5/10
The idea of Lionel Messi exiting from Barcelona for nothing comes across as far-fetched. Nevertheless, in case his form begins fizzling out prior to 2020, which seems improbable at present, the Catalan giants might decide against renewing his contract.
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What's next?
Messi currently has a €700m release clause in his present deal to stave off any chances of him leaving Barcelona. The report further states that the club's top brass are already looking to extend his contract until 2022 or even 2023.
