Barcelona plan to build team around Messi

Barcelona sporting director, Ramon Planes says the club still plan to build a team around Captain Lionel Messi and are trying to convince him to stay.

The 33-year-old Argentina forward has told the club that he wishes to exercise a clause in other to allow him to leave the club for free.

The six-time Ballon D’or winner is Barcelona’s record goalscorer on 634 goals.

Barcelona believes the clause has now expired and Messi is contracted to the club until 2021 with a 700 million euro buy-out clause.