Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona will leave a gaping hole in La Liga feel Real Madrid stars Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric. Messi informed Barcelona of his desire to quit his boyhood club last week and has been in the transfer news throughout the summer. Reports state, Messi has already signed a five-year mega-deal with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and is only waiting for a green signal from Barcelona to allow him to leave. The Blaugrana club though have been adamant that their star player is not going anywhere as long as he has a contract at the club and until any other club offers to pay out Messi’s 700 million Euros release clause. Lionel Messi Transfer Latest News Live Update.

Messi informed Barcelona of his intention to leave this summer through a burofax last Tuesday. He also declared that he will be leaving for free after activating a clause in his current Barcelona contract. The club have, however, insisted that the contract expired in June. Real Madrid and Spain captain Ramos feels Messi has earned the right to decide his own future. The 34-year-old, however, added that he hopes the six-time Ballon d’Or winner remains at Barcelona for the sake of the La Liga and Spanish football. Lionel Messi in New Barcelona 2020–21 Season Home Jersey Amid Talks of Exit, Here’s Latest Update on Argentine’s Transfer News.

"It's something that we're not focused on but the player has earned the right to be able to decide on his future,” Ramos was quoted as saying by the Mirror ahead of Spain’s UEFA Nations League match against Germany. "Having said that, for the Spanish game and for Barca and for the rest of us, we'd like him to stay as we always want the best around."

Ramos said that Messi attracts fans to La Liga and Spain football and makes the league a bigger brand. He also added that El Clasico is one of the most followed derbies due to Messi’s presence and that the rivalry between both the clubs elevates to a different level when both teams have great players in them.

His teammate and Croatia captain, Luka Modric echoed the same sentiments. "It would be a huge loss," said the 34-year-old. "Like when Cristiano left. But you can't think about the past. It's football and that's it."  Modric remains the only footballer to have beaten Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the Ballon d’Or trophy in the last decade and he feels that La Liga’s prestige will diminish once Messi leaves.

"If it happens it will be a huge loss for the prestige of the league," he told AFP. "But we need to go forward. Other players will become stars. When Ronaldo left, the same thing happened, the life of Real Madrid went on without him and it will be the same for Barcelona and La Liga without Messi."

Both Modric and Ramos have faced Messi numerous times in La Liga and El Clasicos and feels the Argentine will be not only a big loss for Barcelona but for the La Liga brand as well.

Messi’s father and agent Jorge Messi, meanwhile, met Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu on Wednesday (September 02) but failed to change the Argentine’s mind or at least make him econsider his decision to leave Barcelona this season. Messi has spent his entire football career at the Catalan club and is close to saying goodbye after 20 years of service during which he lifted 34 titles and also won six Ballon d’Or trophies.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2020 10:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).