Lionel Messi would have already left Barcelona had his contract expired this summer, claims Camp Nou presidential candidate Agusti Benedito, with Josep Maria Bartomeu’s regime slammed for edging the captain towards the exits.
As things stand, a six-time Ballon d’Or winner remains tied to the Blaugrana.
Contract extension talks have been shelved, though, and serious questions are being asked of Messi’s ongoing presence in Catalunya as he enters the final 12 months of his current terms.
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A fresh start elsewhere is being mooted for the mercurial Argentine, with the likes of Inter, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City said to be keeping a close eye on his situation.