I saw a video from ESPN on YouTube which said all this is just a power play from Barca given the investment coming in to LaLiga.
All the “experts” in the panel said come Sep1, Messi would be playing for Barcelona.
I mean it sort of clearly is - they've gone public with it to put pressure on La Liga.
Because the spanish clubs are all fecked financially, they've introduced a wage cap. With Barca's wages being sky high without selling numberous players (Which they haven't managed to yet) they simply cannot register Messi with the league to reach the cost cap.
So there's only 3 available options.
A. Let Messi leave
B. La Liga get cold feet and somehow allow them to bypass the wage cap to keep him
C. They managed to sell enough players to make room for him (this probably won't be possible)
Right now it seems like Barca and Madrid are having a civil war with La Liga over the super league fiasco. Maybe this is the way they're getting back at them. Either way the fall out will be ugly.
It's not a case of Messi/Barca wanting to go separate ways, more that they've been forced. The only way it would work is if Messi basically plays for free and is then paid in 1 lump bonus at the end of the season, i'm sure they'll find a work around.