Lionel Messi returns to Barcelona training after dramatic transfer U-turn; WATCH

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi returned to training with Barcelona for the first time following his dramatic fallout with the Catalan giants. Messi handed in his transfer request two weeks ago but made a U-turn on his decision to leave Barcelona after the club confirmed that his €700 million (£630m) release clause was still active. Lionel Messi was seen training away from the main group of players, only with Philippe Coutinho, just a day after Barcelona tweeted an image of their club captain posing in their new third kit for the 2020-21 season. 

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Lionel Messi transfer news quashed as Barca captain returns to training

On Monday morning, Lionel Messi was seen arriving at the Ciutat Esportiva training ground and Barcelona took to social media to post a photo of their captain training and working with the ball. Messi was spotted doing multiple training exercises with dummies and cones on the field but spent most of his first day back at Barcelona training alone. It was Messi's first day back in training and the first session under manager Ronald Koeman. Most of the other Barcelona players already began their training last week.

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Messi was absent from Barcelona's coronavirus testing last weekend and didn't arrive at pre-season training last week as he was under the impression that he had 'already left the club'. After handing in his transfer request, Messi sent shockwaves around the football world and the Barcelona board held an emergency meeting. However, following a stalemate in negotiations between Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and Lionel Messi's father/agent Jorge Messi, the Barca captain was eventually forced to stay put at Camp Nou. 

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Barcelona transfer news: Lionel Messi spills the beans on failed transfer

In his interview with Goal, Messi revealed that he had, in fact, handed in a transfer request. Messi claimed that he was frustrated with the ongoing chaos at Barcelona and remains "unhappy" at the club. Barcelona's all-time top goalscorer also explained that Bartomeu failed to keep his end of the promise which eventually forced him to stay at the club.

Barcelona transfer news: Ronald Koeman plans for the future

Multiple reports have claimed that Ronald Koeman has already confirmed that Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal will leave Barcelona over the summer. The LaLiga giants are now looking at potential replacements and are linked with moves for Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez and Lyon's Memphis Depay. It was also reported that Barcelona and Liverpool are in contact over a deal which could see Gini Wijnaldum join Barcelona over the summer. 

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Image Credits - Barcelona Twitter