Lionel Messi kicked off the biggest and messiest transfer saga in soccer history. Here are the key figures who helped decide his future.

Josep Maria Bartomeu and Pep Guardiola are two of the main players in the Messi's transfer saga.Getty/Matt McNulty/Josep Lago/David Ramos

• Pep Guardiola, Roman Planes, and Josep Maria Bartomeu are just three of the key figures involved in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding Lionel Messi.
• Messi said on Friday that he intends to stay at Barcelona for the remainder of his contract, but the Argentine leaving Spain still can't be ruled out.
• Messi's father, Jorge, could play a role in deciding where the Argentine ends up next season, as could Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour.
• Read below to find out who could have an impact on Messi's imminent future and why.

Lionel Messi and Barcelona are currently embroiled in one of the messiest transfer sagas in soccer history.

Messi appeared to admit defeat on Friday,saying in an interview that he will now see out the rest of his contract with the club, rather than go to court.

Following Messi's decision to hand in a transfer request last month, player and club have been at odds over a clause in the Argentine's contract and whether it allows him to leave the Camp Nou for free.

Messi and his team believed it does, to the point the 33-year-old didn't up for the start of the club's pre-season.

Barcelona on the other hand believed the clause expired in June and will demand interested clubs must match his release clause of $825 million if he is to leave – a stance that has been backed by the Spanish football authorities.

Although Messi says he will now stay at Barcelona until the end of his contract, which expires next summer, a transfer could still happen this season. If he leaves at the end of the 2021 season, Barcelona will get nothing, but if he were sold this summer, the club could demand hundreds of millions in compensation.

With the tug of war still raging on, Insider has taken a look at the key players from both sides who can help decide where Messi's future lies.