Busquets leaves Barcelona, casts doubt on Messi return

FC Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets confirmed on Wednesday that this will be his final season with the club. The announcement was made via an emotional video that was shared on the club's official social media accounts. Now, with Busquets on his way out, doubts about Lionel Messi's return have come to the surface.

Busquets will be putting an end to an illustrious 18-year stint with the Catalan giants. There had been speculations over the past several months that he may agree to an extension, especially if Lionel Messi agrees to return to the Camp Nou.

However, even though the Argentine will likely leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires this summer, there is still no certainty about where he will go next season. The departure of Busquets from Barcelona has now raised concerns that the pair may be planning to reunite elsewhere.

Busquets says goodbye after successful career with FC Barcelona

The 34-year-old will let his contract run out at the end of the current campaign, which the club will likely culminate by lifting the La Liga trophy. Busquets has won every available trophy on the club level with the Blaugrana, and the club has rightly published his farewell video in their official accounts.

Busquets reads his farewell message as his career highlights are shown in the video. "I will become a fan and a member, being a Barcelona fan is the best thing there is," he said, hinting about his plans for the future.

"It has been an honour, a dream and a pride to be able to defend this badge but everything has an end point. It has not been an easy decision, but that the time has come," he added.

Busquets became a pillar of the squad under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. He was part of one of the most successful eras of the club, and played most of his career alongside Messi and current manager Xavi Hernandez.

Will Busquets retire or move to another club?

The video made it clear that Busquets will be leaving Barcelona, but it did not confirm whether he plans to hang up his boots or continue his career elsewhere. This is where the link with Messi becomes even more interesting.

Executives from Major League Soccer side Inter Miami have been vocal about reuniting Busquets and Messi in their quest to bring Europe's biggest names to the United States. However, they are facing strong competition and likely more lucrative offers from the Middle East. According to Football Espana, Busquets has received offers from Al Hilal, Al Shabab and Al-Nassr.

It has been widely reported that Al Hilal are offering Messi $400m-a-year to join them this summer, and having Busquets there with him could prove to be a tempting prospect. With Busquests deciding to leave Barcelona, it could be a clue that the club's plan to stage Messi's sensational comeback has hit a speedbump.

Messi pays tribute to Busquets

Soon after the farewell video was released, Messi took to Instagram, to share a personal message dedicated to his former teammate. Alongside a photo of Busquets in action, Messi said, "On the pitch always with the 5 but in reality, as a player and as a person, you are a 10, Busi," he said, referring to the midfielder's jersey number.

"I wish you the best in your new stage and in everything, both you and your family. Thank you for the on and off the pitch, there were so many moments we spent together, many good and some also complicated. They will remain forever!" he added.

Modric also shares an unexpected tribute

While tributes and farewell messages were expected to pour in from the Barcelona faithful, one such message came from an unexpected place. Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, who has played on the other side of the pitch from Busquets for many years, has also shared a heartfelt message.

The pair featured in numerous "El Clasico" fixtures throughout the past eleven years, and the Croatian could not help but share his admiration for the Barcelona captain.

Modric shared a photo of himself and Busquets locked in battle in one such match, and captioned the post: "One of the best midfielders that I have ever played against. It has been a pleasure."

It remains to be seen what Busquets will decide to do beyond this summer. Modric, meanwhile, has agreed to a one-year extension with Los Blancos.