Barcelona football club wants Lionel Messi to sign a new contract before his current contract expires on July 1.
As opposed to the reports that are coming out, not everything has been mutually agreed upon as of now, but in the last 24 hours FF Barcelona has increased the level of urgency shown in with the desire to announce the deal before the start of next month.
Ongoing Talks
Messi’s contract renewal is very important for new President Joan Laporta and he is currently in direct talks with the player’s father and agent, Jorge Messi.
In order to keep Argentina’s star player, the club will have to reduce their wage bill by 200m euros (£ 172m) to meet La Liga’s Financial Fair Play requirements.
Laporta is delighted to offer the 34-year-old player a new two-year contract.
Barcelona think Messi would like to go to Major League Soccer in the USA after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, although they would like to see him return to the club after that in any role or strength he prefers.
‘Everything Has Not Yet Been Agreed’
There have been rumors from many publications that everything has been agreed upon and everything can be announced on June 24 to coincide with the player’s 34th birthday but that’s definitely not the case.
However, it is not only the missing signature of Messi but also the consensus on all the points of this complex contractual agreement.
The group began negotiations in April and has since met or spoken with Messi’s representatives at least ten times, although they have quickly accelerated talks in recent hours.
Can Messi Leave FC Barcelona?
Messi is aware of interest from other clubs, such as Manchester City and Paris St-Germain, but has so far not spoken to them, waiting to hear what Barcelona has to offer before finalizing details of a deal that will keep him at the same club.
Despite the physical limitations that will come with age, he would still very much like his next move after Barcelona to be to a league where he can be a relevant presence.
For years now, he and former Barca team-mate Cesc Fabregas, currently at Monaco, have dreamt of playing together again in the same team and city, something the MLS will certainly offer him in two years’ time.
