Messi’s contract with the Blaugrana squad will expire in June and will leave the club as a free kick.
The President of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, is confident that Lionel Messi will stay with the club and said things are going well, although sources close to ESPN have told ESPN that the board has not yet offered a new contract to the attacker.
Messi’s contract with the Blaugrana team will expire in June and he will be able to leave the club as a free player if he does not sign an extension under new terms.
Laporta, who was elected for a second term as Barça president in March, has always expressed the wish that Messi would stay at the Nou Camp, but will not offer him a new contract until an internal financial check has been carried out. From the club.
A report published Friday suggested an initial offer to Messi had been made this week. Sources close to the Catalan club and the player denied this information to ESPN, but Laporta showed optimism for the Copa de Rey final that the team will play next weekend.
“Everything is progressing properly,” Laporta told Deportes Cuatro before flying to Sevilla, where Barça will face Athletic Bilbao tomorrow.
“I will do everything within the club’s capabilities so that he stays. That’s what we do. Messi is motivated. He is an extraordinary person and I am convinced that he wants to continue at Barça.”
Messi, 33, wanted to leave the club last summer after the 8-2 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, but the situation has changed since then.
One of his biggest problems was his relationship with former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who has now been replaced by Laporta, who was in charge of the institution when Messi made his first-team debut.
In a December interview, Messi said he will wait until the end of the season before deciding on his next move. Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are following the Argentinian’s situation.
In addition to the economic offer, Laporta will also have to convince Messi by assuring him that he can build a team capable of competing for the Champions League title next season.
On that front, Laporta has already met with representatives of Erling Haaland to discuss a possible agreement. Sources have told ESPN that Barça is working on an agreement to sign Haaland, but it will be a very difficult deal financially to reach.
“Everything that needs to be done will be done and we will make sure it is done right,” added Laporta when asked about the options for signing the Borussia Dortmund forward.
“We have to work hard to build a competitive team for next season [ahora] the priority is to win the final [el sábado]