Barcelona has confirmed that their star forward Lionel Messi will not renew his contract with the club, the team announced on Thursday in a statement. Messi’s contract expired earlier and he became a free agent on 30th June. However, there were reports that Messi will sign a new five year deal with Blaugrana despite a 50% wage cut.

But it wasn’t to be the case as the club revealed that Messi could not sign the new contract due financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).

A statement on the club’s website read: “Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).

“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.

“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”

Thus, it ends Messi’s era at Barcelona, where he spent 17 years at the iconic club. Messi joined the club as a 18-year old young boy and he is leaving as one of the greatest football players to have embraced the game.

Messi had a stellar career at Barcelona as he played 778 matches in which he scored a record number of 672 goals and provided astonishing 305 assists.

As Barcelona could not re-sign Messi, he is now available on the table. The talismanic striker was earlier linked with clubs like Manchester City and PSG Saint Germain and once again these clubs will look towards signing the star striker.

Meanwhile, Messi had scored four goals for Argentina in the Copa America and finished as the Player of the tournament as well as Golden Boot winner. Furthermore, he won his first major title with the national team.