Messi can leave Barca for free on Catalan independence
Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi could reportedly leave Barcelona without a transfer fee if Catalonia secedes from Spain and the club does not compete in any of Europe's top four football leagues. The free transfer clause has been reportedly added in Messi's new contract, which runs until June 2021, and contains a â¬700 million ($843 million) buyout clause.