Lionel Messi's father and agent, Jorge Messi, has arrived in Barcelona for showdown talks with the club's board after his son asked for his contract to be terminated.
Last Tuesday, the Argentine sent shockwaves through European football when it was revealed he sent a fax to the club requesting that he bet let out of his contract, freeing him up to speak to other teams.
Messi has become disillusioned with life at the Camp Nou due to their decline on the pitch as well as how the club is run at board level.
Things reached boiling point after Barca were embarrassed 8-2 in the Champions League by Bayern at the quarter-final stage, while they lost La Liga to Real Madrid.
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The 2019/20 campaign was the first in 12 years in which they failed to collect any silverware.
New head coach Ronald Koeman has already met with Messi in a meeting where the six-time Ballon d'Or winner refused to commit his future to the club.
However, Messi is keen to avoid an undignified exit due to his love for the club and the amount of time he has spent there.
Although he is expected to meet the Barcelona board with his lawyers soon, Jorge Messi has been sent first to act as mediator, outlining his son's wishes and requests.
Every elite club in Europe has been linked with a potential swoop for Messi, but it is believed that Jorge has only been contacted by Manchester City, Inter, PSG, and Juventus so far.
Due to their financial might and Pep Guardiola being at the helm, City lead the way for his signature at the moment.
Messi has a release clause in his contract for €700m, with a previous clause allowing him to leave for free expiring at the end of May.
However, Messi's camp are arguing that the latter clause still stands as the season was extended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
When Jorge arrived at the airport at Barcelona to be surrounded by reporters, he simply said: "I don't know anything, guys."
Lionel Messi 
Barcelona 
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