FC Barcelona has confirmed that Lionel Messi has informed the club about his intention to leave, the Associated Press has reported.
Reuters has quoted a club source, also saying that Messi has told Barcelona he wants to leave.
According to the source, the 33-year-old Messi, who joined the club in 2000 and has spent his entire career there, informed the club about his intention by sending a burofax, a service used in Spain to urgently send a document that requires proof to third parties.
Messi’s contract with Barca was set to expire in 2021.
The club is having urgent talks to discuss the situation, according to Catalan-language radio station RAC1.