Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has sent shock waves through the football world by asking to leave the club this summer.

Here the PA new agency takes a closer look at the situation.

Why does Messi want to leave?

With Messi aged 33, it is likely the club have already begun preparations for their future without him, although a Messi-less Barcelona is hard to contemplate.

The Argentinian has spent his entire senior career at the Nou Camp, winning 33 major trophies, and Barcelona would find it almost impossible to replace someone who has scored more than 700 goals for the club since 2003. Although there would be scope to rebuild the team, ii is not a job that could be done overnight and some barren years could lie ahead for the Catalans.