Barcelona president Joan Laporta has lifted the lid on Lionel Messi 's future - revealing the star unsurprisingly has "other proposals" following his shocking exit.
Laporta held a press conference on Friday morning in the wake of the bombshell news over the six-time Ballon d'Or winner's future.
It was announced on Friday evening that Messi was to depart Barca after they were denied permission to register the star by La Liga.
It had seemed as though the star's new contract was on the verge of being announced earlier in the week.
But this new development has shocked the world - as Messi's remarkable 21-year career with the club comes crashing to an abrupt end.
Laporta revealed in his press conference that Messi is now free to pursue other options with no Barca U-turn on the horizon.
He revealed: "I can't speak for Messi. I don't know which clubs are interested but he has other good offers, although ours was the best we could do."
It's been reported by The Athletic that Paris Saint Germain have already made contact with Messi to try and tempt the 34-year-old to the French capital.
Manchester City have been credited with an interest in Messi previously and have reportedly twice tried and failed to bring the Argentinian icon to Manchester.
It appears unlikely City will make a move though having just splashed out on a British record £100m to bring Jack Grealish to the Etihad.
That could clear the path for PSG to snap up the most coveted signature in world football.
Will Lionel Messi come to the Premier League? Comment below
Messi has allegedly already spoken to Mauricio Pochettino, with the PSG boss eager to bring his compatriot to Paris - where he could once again link up with former teammate Neymar.
Messi is said to be in a state of shock after the events of the past 24 hours, with Barcelona blaming financial restrictions placed on them by La Liga for their inability to retain their talisman, despite the two sides coming to an agreement over a new deal.
A statement on the Catalan giants' official website said: "Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).
"As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona."
The Catalan outfit's financial issues have been well-documented over the past few weeks.
Desperate Barca fans congregated outside the club headquarters last night in the wake of the breaking news as they face up the prospect of a future without their hero.
Messi is Barca's all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances for the club, while he has won 10 La Liga titles and the Champions League on four occasions.
The news leaves the Catalan giants in turmoil ahead of the new La Liga season.
