Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona throughout a match versus Sevilla on February 23, 2019
Eric Verhoeven | Soccrates | Getty Images
Lionel Messi has actually reached a spoken contract on a five-year agreement extension at Barcelona, with his wage to be minimized by 50% under regards to the brand-new offer.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was formally a totally free representative since July 1 after he stopped working to concur terms over a renewal prior to his previous Barcelona agreement ended on June 30.
Earlier in July, Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title thanks to a 1-0 win in the last versus hosts Brazil, bringing an end to his wait on a very first significant global prize.
The 34-year-old has actually now accepted remain on at his boyhood club for another 5 years, implying he will be 39 by the time his brand-new offer goes out – when he will have amounted to 26 years on the club’s books.
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Messi triggered an acrimonious transfer row in August in 2015, when he formally notified the club his dream to trigger a stipulation in his agreement which would have seen him leave totally free.
However, La Liga president Javier Tebas and Josep Maria Bartomeu – Barcelona president at the time – obstructed the relocation, showing that the stipulation was just active up until June 10 and any suitor would need to pay his €700m release stipulation completely.
“I thought and we were sure that I’d be a free agent,” Messi informed Goal.
“The president constantly informed me that I might choose to remain or address completion of the season and they’re now holding on to the truth that I had not stated anything by June 10, when it ends up that on June 10 the La Liga season was still continuous and we remained in the middle of this infection and this health problem that changed the entire component calendar.
“And that’s the reason that I’m remaining on at the club. I’m now staying due to the fact that the president informed me that the only method I might leave was by paying the €700m release stipulation, which is difficult.”
Bartomeu went on to resign in October, while Messi wished to listen to the strategies of his follower Joan Laporta prior to choosing his future.
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have actually been the front-running clubs thinking about signing him. Messi likewise wishes to one day play in MLS.
