Barcelona ‘putting every effort’ into convincing Lionel Messi to stay

Barcelona want to build a new team around want-away star Lionel Messi (Nick Potts/PA)

Barcelona are working to convince Lionel Messi to stay at the club following the Argentina superstar’s bombshell request to leave.

The 33-year-old rocked the Catalan giants on Tuesday night, when it is understood he asked for his contract, which has a year still to run, to be terminated under an end-of-season release clause.