Newly appointed Barcelona President Joan Laporta is prepared to offer Lionel Messi a three-year contract.
Apparently, the player earns around €75 million net annually, and Barcelona cannot afford to pay that kind of money in the current climate.
Therefore, they will look to offer him a longer deal so that Messi can be compensated for the reduction in wages over several seasons.
The Argentine superstar will be a free agent at the end of this season, and he is yet to commit his long term future to the Spanish La Liga club.
Things have changed for the better since the arrival of Laporta, and it will be interesting to see if he can convince Messi to continue at Camp Nou beyond this season.
The 33-year-old has been in exceptional form since the turn of the year, and losing him would be a massive blow for Barcelona.
The player has been linked with a move to the Premier League as well as Paris Saint Germain, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the summer.
Messi has always wanted a competitive squad at Barcelona and a credible manager in charge of the team.
Ronald Koeman has done a good job at Barcelona so far, and he seems to be enjoying a good working relationship with the Argentine star.
Furthermore, Barcelona managed to win a trophy recently after the appointment of Laporta, and they are very much in with a chance of winning the Spanish League title.
With the club heading in the right direction, it will be interesting to see if Messi is prepared to sign a new deal and help the club challenge for more trophies in future.
Imagine ???????????????????????????????????? over 34 league goals per season in a 12-year span. Leo #Messi doesn't have to imagine it. He's done it. 34.58 to be exact.
President Laporta is working on a three-year contract to offer to Lionel Messi in an attempt to persuade him to stay at Barcelona. The idea is to offer a longer deal so that Messi is compensated over several years to make up for the immediate reduction to his salary. [espn]
