Lionel Messi to stay in Barcelona for the season

Guwahati: Amid immense speculation, the talismanic Lionel Messi declared on Friday that he will remain with Spanish side Barcelona for the upcoming season.

The decision ended an impasse over his future after he had disclosed to Barcelona that he wanted to leave the club for free at the end of the season.

Barcelona needed him to complete his agreement that runs until the end of 2021. It asserted that the clause invoked by Messi to leave had terminated in June and said that he had to pay the buyout clause of 700 million euros ($837 million) if he wanted to depart now.

Messi's father and Josep Bartomeu the president of Barcelona met on 2nd September Wednesday to talk about the player's future, with Jorge Messi saying his son wanted to leave and Barcelona saying it would not facilitate his transfer. 

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