Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, has written a letter to La Liga President, Javier Tebas, in reaction to claims that a €700 million release clause must be paid before his son can leave Barcelona.

Messi is expected to leave Camp Nou after he submitted a transfer request to Barcelona days after the 2019/2020 season ended.

However, Barcelona demands that the €700 million release clause in his contract must be met before he can leave the club.

This was supported by La Liga thereby forcing a letter from Messi’s father to Tebas on Friday.

The letter reads: “In relation to the player’s contractual situation, and regardless of its obvious bias for the role that such an institution represents in defence of the interests of its football clubs, I must state the following.

“We do not know what contract La Liga has analysed, and what are the bases on which they conclude that the ‘termination clause’ is not applicable if the player urges the unilateral termination of it with effect from the completion of the 2019-20 sports season.

“This is due to an obvious error on La Liga’s part.

“As stated in a clause of the contract signed between the club and the player: ‘This compensation will not apply when the termination of the contract by unilateral decision of the player takes effect from the conclusion of the 2019-20 sports season.’

“Without prejudice to other rights that are included in the contract and that La Liga omits, it is obvious that the compensation of €700m does not apply at all.”