Lionel Messi And Barcelona ‘agree Contract Extension Until June 2023’

Lionel Messi and Barcelona have reportedly agreed new terms, keeping the Argentine star at the club for another two years.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future has been up in the air with his contract expiring in just two days’ time.

However it appears Messi and the Catalan giants have finally reached an agreement over a contract extension until June 2023, according to Fabrizio Romano, as reported by Marca.

Messi’s future has been hanging in the balance ever since he told the club by fax of his desire to leave last summer.

Barcelona find themselves cash-strapped as they try to cope with the financial issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic, although they have brought in some new faces already.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, Lyon forward Memphis Depay and City defender Eric Garcia will be arriving on free transfers and Barca also triggered Real Betis star Emerson Royal’s £7.8million release clause.

Barcelona will reportedly have to free up £170m in wages if Messi does put pen to paper on a new deal with Philippe Coutinho and Miralem Pjanic among players that could leave.

It was a topsy-turvy 2020-21 season for Messi and Barcelona following the appointment of Ronald Koeman as manager last summer.

Koeman was thrown into the deep end with his star man agitating for a move away but the 33-year-old ended up staying because the club blocked his transfer by insisting on demanding his astronomical release clause of £625million was met.

In December the Catalan giants were 12 points behind LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid and were mired in institutional chaos but ended up finishing third behind eventual winners Atletico and arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Joan Laporta, one of Messi’s allies, was also appointed club president in March and Koeman won his first trophy at the helm as Barcelona lifted the Copa del Rey

However Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League after being comfortably swept aside by PSG. That European exit came after their humiliation by Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage last season.

Messi is currently on international duty with Argentina at the Copa America and equalled Javier Mascherano’s record of 147 matches for his country last week.