Barcelona Are Under Pressure To Improve Messi's Contract

 

According to sport journalist Guillem Balague, Barcelona are yet to offer Lionel Messi a new contract, but are being pressured into acting soon. Messi's current deal with Barca expires in 2018, and he has seen both Luis Suarez and Neymar recently sign extensions until 2021.

Barca president Josep Bartomeu said recently the club will do whatever it takes to keep hold of Messi but Sky Sports Spanish football expert Balague says there is no calendar for negotiations yet. Balague said “There has still been no start to the negotiations from Barcelona. They have not put an offer on the table, the directors of Barcelona are briefing that an offer will arrive at the end of the month. However, nothing has arrived yet, not even that information has been directly given to Messi's representatives or to the player himself. Barcelona are saying the fact they are going to put the offer to him at the end of the month has nothing to do with the pressure from everywhere, wondering why it has not been done already when in 12 months he can negotiate his contract with anybody in the world. But the pressure put on them by newspapers, media and fans has got to them and now they are acting.”

Messi has made more than 500 appearances for Barcelona after his debut in 2004.