A man hoping to take control of the boardroom at Camp Nou is not expecting an Argentine superstar to see a stunning transfer sanctioned

Barcelona presidential candidate Toni Freixa believes no club will “run that risk” if it is determined that a €700 million (£624m/$823m) release clause in Lionel Messi’s contract does stand.

Confusion continues to reign at Camp Nou when it comes to the future of a six-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Messi has, after growing disillusioned with events on and off the field in Catalunya, stated a desire to move on.

Those intensions were aired in a now infamous burofax sent to the Barca board, with the Argentine making it clear that he wishes to sever ties with a club he has dedicated 20 years of his life to.

Various landing spots have been mooted for the mercurial South American, with the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain leading the chase, but no deal has been discussed.

Instead, talks have been held between Messi’s representatives and those in power at Camp Nou.