Want Messi to stay at Barcelona, says Real Madrid skipper Ramos
Sep 03, 2020
Madrid [Spain], September 3 : Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos has said that he wants Argentine striker Lionel Messi to stay with Barcelona.
However, he also added that Messi has earned the right to leave the club at his own will.
Ramos' remarks come as Messi's future with Barcelona hangs in the balance and he has asked the club to let him leave.
"It's something that we're not focused on but the player has earned the right to be able to decide on his future," Goal.com quoted Ramos as saying.
"Having said that, for the Spanish game and for Barca and for the rest of us, we'd like him to stay as we always want the best around," he added.
Earlier, the organisers of La Liga had sided with Barcelona as they said that Messi's contract with the club is still valid. The organisers also clarified that if other clubs are interested in availing the footballer's services, then they must pay 700 million euros as the release clause amount in full.
This clarification from La Liga came as Messi sought to make his way out from Barcelona.
"The contract is currently in force and has a "termination clause" applicable to the event that Lionel Messi decides to urge the early unilateral termination of the contract, carried out in accordance with article 16 of Royal Decree 1006/1985, of June 26, by which regulates the special employment relationship of professional athletes," La Liga said in an official statement.
"In compliance with the applicable regulations, and following the corresponding procedure in these cases, La Liga will not carry out the prior visa process for the player to be removed from the federation if they have not previously paid the amount of said clause," it added.
On Sunday, Messi did not show up for Barcelona's pre-season medical tests as he continued to find his way out of the club.
On August 25, Messi had shocked Barcelona by asking the club to let him leave. Messi had asked Barcelona to activate a clause in his contract which will allow him to leave for free.
His contract with Barcelona is currently up to 2021. Manchester City, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain are the few clubs that have shown an interest in Messi.
Messi has spent his entire career with Barcelona and has managed to win Ballon d'Or six times.
