Lionel Messi: stuck in Barcelona, now being offered contract extension

By Agency Reporter

Lionel Messi may have admitted defeat that he will not be able to force an exit from Barcelona.
Instead, there are reports that the 33 year-old striker could now sign a contract extension till 2022.

TyC Sports, the Argentine sports paper which broke the news of Messi’s faxed transfer request – has reported that Messi could now pen a contract extension, with a stay in Catalonia claimed to be ‘90 per cent likely’.

The report has been corroborated by Spanish outlet Marca, which also claimed Messi has been offered a new contract till 2022.

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Messi’s current deal expires in 2021 and the offer from Barca is said to include a clause which means he can leave next summer if he so wishes.

Jorge Messi, who acts as his son’s agent, first met Barca chiefs on Wednesday and held further discussions on Thursday – and it appears a U-turn may be on the cards.

Messi informed Barcelona he wanted to leave at the end of August, and demanded he be allowed to invoke a clause in his contract which would allow him to walk away for free.

Messi’s apparent change of heart comes after his father’s talks with club chiefs.

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Marca claim Barca are adamant they will not sell Messi, which means he would have to terminate his contract at a court of law, but he does not want to leave Camp Nou on such poor terms after a legal battle.