Barcelona are reportedly resolute in their desire to keep their Lionel Messi, taking a number of far-reaching decisions, which include rejection of the star’s demand for a meeting and sacking of their law firm Cuatrecasas for advising him on an exit strategy for leaving the club.

Reports in Spain have said Messi wants to meet the Barcelona board to discuss an amicable exit from the club, with the player intent on leaving this summer.

Barcelona will not accept a request from Lionel Messi to hold a meeting with the club to discuss his exit and they will only sanction his exit for his €700m release clause, claims Guillem Balague.

In another development, Marca which cites an initial report from Crónica Global, which claims that Cuatrecasas advised the Argentine on sending his burofax to the club earlier this week outlining his intentions to leave.

The law firm are said to be both representatives of the player and the club, as they had been hired to advise both on how best to proceed with any legal cases, such as the dispute currently surrounding the player’s contract and whether or not he is able to terminate his current deal.

The 33-year-old has a clause in his deal allowing him to leave at the end of any season, and whilst it was thought that deadline passed in June, Marca have reported his camp believe that it has been extended in line with the prolonged 2019/20 season.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the current board of the Catalan giants are said to be insistent they will not allow their superstar to leave as a free agent and they will only be prepared to meet with the player to discuss a new contract.