Lionel Messi Becomes A Free Agent, After Contract With Barcelona Expired.

Lionel Messi has officially become a free-agent on Thursday after his contract with Barcelona expired at midnight in Spain, as June entered July.

For the first time since year 2000 (7,504 days) when Messi's first contract with the Blaugrana side was signed on a napkin, he is no longer contractually related to Barcelona.

The forward's most recent deal which he signed in 2017 was worth more than €500m over four years, including his salary, bonuses and image rights.

This means that at this moment in time the Argentine star is no longer a Barca player, a news which the Barcelona fans have long dreaded.

According to reports, Barcelona remains confident that Messi who is yet to sign a renewal to extend his 20-year stay at Camp Nou, would definitely pen a new deal as soon as possible.

The new club's president Joan Laporta has been urging the fans to remain calm, as he continues to work hard to convince Messi to renew his contract.

The club's financial problems caused by the pandemic prevented a new deal from being signed before the June 30 expiry date. 

There are several aspects of the new contract that still need to be ironed out. An agreement could be reached soon, perhaps in a few days, but it hasn't been established as of yet.

The Barca board are not happy the Messi contract situation, as both existing sponsors and potential partners don't want to sign up to new deals amids the speculation and rumours consigning Messi's future at the Camp Nou.

Barca  have not won the Champions League since 2015 and have gone two seasons straight without winning La Liga.

Messi, who turned 34 last week, told Barca he wanted to leave last summer but was persuaded to staying throughout the course of the last year.

He has won the Champions League four times with Barcelona, ten times La Liga winner, seven Copa del Reys, seven Supercopa de Espana titles, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner is currenrly participating in the Copa America with Argentina.

Messi scored a spetacular brace on Monday in a 4-1 win over Bolivia as he became his country's most-capped player of all time (148th caps), surpassing Javier Mascherano.

Argentina would face Ecuador in the quarterfinal on Saturday as Messi targets to win his first major trophy, having previously lost three Copa America finals and one World Cup final.