Lionel Messi has demanded to leave Barcelona by activating a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave on a free transfer.
The 33-year-old has sent a fax to Barcelona communicating his intention to leave behind the club he's played at for 20 years.
Although his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, Messi and his legal team believe the clause will allow him to terminate his deal unilaterally.
Editors' Picks
Rumours of Messi's unhappiness have been swirling since Bayern Munich humiliated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final earlier in August, ending a season that saw the club fail to win any trophies.