Lionel Messi will be at Barcelona for many more years, says president Josep Maria Bartomeu

Going nowhere: Lionel Messi
AP
Ben Hayward6 July 2020

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has dismissed reports that captain Lionel Messi will leave the Catalan club when his contract expires next summer.

Cadena SER claimed last Thursday night that the Argentine had broken off negotiations with Barca over a new deal and is ready to walk away for free in 2021.

"I'm not going to give details of the negotiations, but he has said many times that he wants to finish his career at Barca," Bartomeu told Movistar+ when asked about the forward after Sunday's 4-1 win over Villarreal.

"Right now, we are focused on the competition and there are negotiations with lots of players.

"Messi wants to continue at Barca and he wants to end [his career] here. He has many years left and we're going to enjoy him for a long time."

The Argentine attacker has won 34 trophies and scored 630 official goals in his time at Camp Nou since making his debut as a 17-year-old back in 2004.

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