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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that Lionel Messi’s father has signed a contract renewal on behalf of the Argentina forward that will keep him at the club until 2021.
The LaLiga side announced in July that Messi had agreed a four-year extension to his deal and it would be “signed in the coming weeks, when Messi returns to the team for pre-season training”.
Since then there has been no official confirmation and rumours had begun to circulate about the 30-year-old’s future at the club.
Bartomeu, though, spoke to Catalan television to confirm that five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was committed to the cause at the Nou Camp.
Bartomeu, quoted on Barcelona’s official website, told 8TV: “Leo’s commitment to Barca is total. His father has signed the renewal and, therefore, the only thing left to do is to take the photograph.”
Messi, who made his senior debut as a 16-year-old in a friendly against Porto, has eight LaLiga titles, four Champions League wins and five Copa del Rey successes among his list of honours with the Catalan giants.
Barcelona are currently top of the LaLiga table and Messi scored twice in the 3-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Andres Iniesta, 33, is out of contract at the end of the season but Bartomeu is confident the Spain midfielder will also extend his stay at Barca.
“Andres is special for us and for all young players. He is an example as a person and as a player,” said Bartomeu. “We are negotiating with his agent with the intention of giving him an indefinite contract and letting him choose how long he wants to be at the club.”
