Barcelona ‘raise urgency’ in contract talks to keep star man Lionel Messi at Nou Camp with his deal expiring in FOUR days… with cash-strapped Catalans still negotiating on two-year deal
- Barcelona have raised the level of urgency in contract talks with Lionel Messi
- Catalan club, who are struggling financially, are negotiating over two-year deal
- Messi’s contract expires on July 1 but it is expected he will stay at Barcelona
Barcelona have raised the level of urgency in contract talks as they look to keep Lionel Messi at the club.
Messi’s contract expires on July 1 and Barcelona are eager to announce an agreement before the start of next month, as reported by BBC Sport.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is in negotiations with the 34-year-old’s father and representative Jorge Messi, but an agreement has yet to be reached
Barcelona have raised the level of urgency in contract talks with their star player Lionel Messi
Given Barcelona’s financial struggles, if they manage to keep Messi they will have to reduce their wage bill by around £170million.
Negotiations over a new contract commenced in April, with Laporta prepared to offer Messi a two-year deal. Barcelona have held talks with Messi’s representatives at least ten times.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is ready to give Messi a two-year deal, with his current contract expiring on July 1
Laporta revealed that new signing Sergio Aguero is attempting to convince Messi to stay
It is widely expected that Messi will remain at Barcelona, despite reported interest from Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
The report indicates that Barcelona anticipate Messi would like to play in MLS after next year’s World Cup.
Laporta recently expressed confidence that Messi would stay and added that the attacker’s fellow Argentina international Sergio Aguero, who recently joined Barcelona, is trying to persuade his team-mate to remain at the club.
Laporta told La Vanguardia: ‘I would like Messi to tell us ‘yes’ as soon as possible. He would help us in every way.
‘Aguero is helping. He is telling him every day to stay.’
Last year Messi dramatically expressed his desire to leave Barcelona but ended up staying for the final year of his contract.
