Barcelona Need To Accept Messi Is Leaving – Valdano

Lionel Messi is already mentally out of the door at Barcelona and is sure to continue his career elsewhere, believes Jorge Valdano.

Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi did not take part in Barca’s first day of pre-season training under Ronald Koeman on Monday, having informed the club of his desire to leave.

The Argentina international believes a clause in his contract allowing him to leave on a free transfer has been activated, though the club and La Liga are of the opinion his €700 million (£624m/$823m) release clause remains the only valid way to terminate his deal, which runs until next June.

Manchester City are thought to be leading the race to sign Messi, with Paris Saint-Germain and Inter also credited with significant interest.

Former Real Madrid forward, head coach and director general Valdano, who began his playing career at Messi’s boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys and won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina, is confident the 33-year-old’s future lies away from Camp Nou.

He thinks Barcelona have to accept that reality sooner rather than later, or risk an ever more acrimonious parting of the ways further down the line.

“Either he goes to another club or to his home, but he has already left Barcelona. I am totally convinced. I have no doubt,” he said on Onda Cero show El Transistor.

“The sooner Barcelona realise they are going to lose the best player in their history, the sooner they can focus on rebuilding.”