In an interview with ESPN, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said that he desires to keep Messi at Barcelona until he retires.
“He is a one-club man,” Bartomeu explained. “It's more than what he does on the pitch – his relationship with Barça will last forever. We want Messi to always be at Barça, whether that's playing or linked to the club after.”
Often considered one of the greatest players of all-time, if not the, Lionel Messi is enjoying a fruitful few weeks that saw him lead Barca to five wins in five wins with eight goals and three assists to top it off. The 31-year-old shows no signs of slowing down as he makes his case for a 6th Ballon D'or.
“We would like to renew his contract, that's the idea,” said Bartomeu. “He is young – you can see that – and he still has two years on his deal. He's always improving, always innovating. I believe he still has many years in front of him and in the coming months we'll sit down with him so that he has many more years at Barcelona.”
While the Catalan side may be able to retire the legendary Messi, the club will need to use the next three to five years investing in new talent and plucking the most gifted players of its academy, La Masia.
As one of the most prized clubs in the world, Barcelona will ensure that the spirit of Messi and his countless trophies augurs well for the future of the club.
