Lionel Messi transfer updates: Barcelona president Joan Laporta REVEALS why club couldn’t renew Messi’s contract

Barcelona shocked the football world on Thursday with the announcement that Messi would leave the club, when most were expecting them to announce a new five-year contract with the 34-year-old.

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta explained the club's decision to end its 21-year relationship with Lionel Messi and break off talks over a new contract. Barca shocked the football world on Thursday with the announcement that Messi would leave the club, when most were expecting them to announce a new five-year contract with the 34-year-old. Laporta explained on Friday that La Liga's financial fair play rules made it impossible to give Messi a new contract under the conditions the player required. "We've been in negotiations for more than two months and these discussions have now concluded. We cannot register the player because we don't have room for him in our wage bill."