Reports: Barcelona unwilling to let Lionel Messi leave if massive release clause fee isn't met

According to Mundo Deportivo via Daily Mirror, Barcelona are set to inform Lionel Messi that any team interested in securing his signature will have to trigger the massive £631million buy-out clause in his current contract.

The Argentine reportedly wants to leave the club this summer and has expressed his desire privately to new manager Ronald Koeman, who is desperate to retain the 33-year-old.

Messi has seemingly grown disgruntled with life at the Camp Nou due to Barcelona's issues on and off the pitch, as he continues to stall on a new deal. After Barcelona's embarrassing 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Messi reportedly signalled his intention to leave the club.

Messi met with Ronald Koeman and laid out his intentions for the next season. [rac1]

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) August 20, 2020

In the wake of Quique Setien's sacking, Koeman was swiftly appointed as his successor but Messi's decision has remained unchanged till date. Earlier this month, it was reported that Messi informed the Barcelona manager of his desire to quit the club in a private conversation, as he edges closer to an unlikely exit.

However, Barcelona will do everything they can to retain their talisman and will not let him leave on his own terms. Messi is the highest-paid player in world football currently and has a whopping £631million buy-out clause on his contract, making his exit virtually impossible.

Koeman admits Lionel Messi is the cornerstone of his Barcelona project

Ronald Koeman is desperate to keep Lionel Messi at the club

Koeman, however, admitted that he would love to keep Messi at Barcelona and spoke about the Argentine after taking charge.

"I can imagine that Messi is disappointed, I would be too if I lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich. I have to make him feel important, and make things work. He has to finish his career here, because he is Barcelona and Barcelona is Messi."

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu also shed light on the situation, as the club look to start a new era under the leadership of Koeman. The controversial Spaniard poured cold water over claims that Messi is looking to leave, adding that he is in regular contact with the Argentine and his father.

"Messi wants to end his career at Barça. I regularly speak to him and his father. He’s part of our project. Koeman will be the new manager and he told me that Messi is a key player for our new project."

Messi's future is still up in the air and it remains to be seen if he reached a compromise with Barcelona in the coming weeks.

🗣 Ronaldo: "It is very unlikely that Messi will leave Barcelona, especially with the financial crisis in Europe."Messi is the reference of the team and if I was Barcelona I would not let him leave in any case.”🤫 pic.twitter.com/x5OCjZYcr4

— Goal (@goal) August 22, 2020

The Argentine has spent the entirety of his senior career with the La Liga side and could well put pen to paper on a new deal before the end of the current transfer window.

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