Lionel Messi will definitely leave Camp Nou this summer.
Messi has been allowed to have a pre-agreement with other clubs in January and Manchester City are leading the race in acquiring the Argentine international.
Club presidential candidate Agusti Benedito expects Messi to leave when his contract expires with the Catalan club.
Benedito said to ESPN: “Keeping Messi would be the best news for the club but I am not very optimistic. Given the club’s situation, I think it’s really important that he stays at Barca, with the understanding that he understands the next two years we have in front us [could be difficult].
“He’s been here for 20 years; he’s a Barcelona fan and I think he’s sensitive to the situation. He has given us so much in the same way that Barcelona have given him a lot and it’s time for us all to roll up our sleeves.
“I would have liked him to say in his interview the other week that his desire is to stay at the club, but he didn’t and now we have to wait and see. The truth is I am pessimistic.
“Remember that in August he said he wanted to leave after 20 years and now he’s still not cleared up what he wants to do. The most likely outcome I see is that he leaves us in the summer.”
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