Lionel Messi asked his father to start contract talks at season end. Thus, negotiations between the Barcelona striker and the Catalan club over a new contract are likely to begin after the 2020/21 season.
Past
Last year, Messi’s desire to leave Barcelona due to an escalation of discord with management made headlines for months.
The Barcelona captain revealed a long-standing conflict with then-club president Josep Maria Bartomeu concerning his future at Camp Nou.
He even sent a burofax to leave no doubt in Barcelona management or fans’ minds that he wished to quit.
But then, Bartomeu was thrown out after a vote of no confidence and Barcelona elected Joan Laporta the new president.
Due to this shift in management, and Messi’s better rapport with Laporta, Barcelona managed to get the superstar to stay.
In March, while Messi remained of two minds about Barca, reports informed he would wait till season end to decide.
Present
Even now, Messi maintains that he will wait till the end of this campaign to decide his future.
According to Cadena COPE, citing sources close to him, Messi asked his father to start contract talks at season end.
The Argentine has asked this of his father Jorge Messi, who is also the player’s agent.
Jorge Messi is now in the Catalan capital. But his son does not want him to start contract talks with Barca before the end of the season.
For now, the 33-year-old forward wants to concentrate fully on the fight to win La Liga.
The player has scored 23 goals and provided eight assists in 28 La Liga games this season.
And the superstar footballer is now intent on making a golden double with Barcelona.
Messi has a very good relationship with Barca president Joan Laporta. The two parties have even already held informal talks over a new deal.
However, for now, Messi believes that he should now only think about the interests of the team in which he believes.
