Lionel Messi tells Barcelona he wants to leave but faces legal battle over clause

• Argentina forward sent fax to Barca informing them of decision
• Club insists free transfer clause in Messi's contract has expired

Lionel Messi has told Barcelona that he wants to leave the club immediately - and on a free transfer. The Argentinian, who according to RAC1 radio had told new manager Ronald Koeman that he felt more out than in", has sent a fax to Barcelona informing them of his desire to go.

Messi's camp believes that a clause in his contract means that he can walk away for no fee. Barcelona, by contrast, insist that he is still bound by a 700m (629m) buy-out clause. The bombshell dropped on Tuesday evening with the news that Messi had told the club on Tuesday afternoon.