Messi camp declares that €700m release clause ‘does not apply at all’

Lionel Messi’s Father and agent, Jorge has declared that his son’s €700million release clause “does not apply at all” the Argentine’s camp try to negotiate an exit for the superstar from FC Barcelona.
LaLiga had reiterated that the FC Barcelona captain cannot walk away as a free agent and that any club looking to secure his services must cough up his release clause.
Messi last week informed Barca he wants to move on after an 2019-20 season in which they failed to win a trophy and were hammered 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Messi’s position is that he has an agreement in his contract which means that he could leave Camp Nou at the end of the 2019/20 campaign without the astronomical release clause being paid.
But with the season delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Blaugrana maintained that option has expired, and LaLiga last week said the clause would still need to be paid in full.
Jorge Messi, the Argentina forward’s father and representative, responded to LaLiga’s statement on Friday, however, just a day after he had acknowledged his son might stay at Barca.
He claimed the contract showed there was “an obvious error” in LaLiga’s analysis.
Messi’s father has now written to La Liga President, Javier Tebas to express their position.
“We do not know which contract you have analysed, and what are the bases on which you conclude that the ‘termination clause’ is not applicable if the player urges the unilateral termination of it with effect from the completion of the 2019-20 sports season.
“This is due to an obvious error on your part.”
Jorge quoted the relevant clause in Messi’s contract, then added: “Without prejudice to other rights that are included in the contract and that you omit, it is obvious that the compensation of 700 million euros, provided for in the previous clause 8.2.3.5, does not apply at all.”
According to his father, Messi’s contract reads: “This compensation will not apply when the termination of the contract by unilateral decision of the player takes effect from the end of the 2019-2020 sports season.”
LaLiga offered a swift response, saying his claims were “decontextualised and far from reality of the contract they signed”, before referring back to its earlier statement.
Reports in Argentina on Friday shortly after Jorge Messi’s letter emerged claimed the Barca captain would remain at the club for the coming season.