BREAKING NEWS: Lionel Messi Leaves Barcelona

Lionel Messi the 6 times Balon D'or winners and all time football superstar is leaving FC Barcelona.
Despite club and player reaching an agreement and their clear intention to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles, the club said in a brief statement.

Messi, 34, has been with FC Barcelona for 17 seasons, during which it has won 10 La Liga titles.

He's won the men's Ballon d'Or, the award honoring the world's greatest soccer player, a record six times.

Despite his advancing age, Messi remains a highly productive player in one of the world's most elite leagues, scoring 30 goals in 30 matches this past season.

And with one of the world's greatest players now on the open market, fans of major teams such as Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain will surely be pressing their clubs to shell out as many pounds or euros to score the icon's services.