Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu indicated the Spanish champions are prepared to make Lionel Messi the world's highest-paid player to keep the Argentine superstar at the club. "Leo Messi is the best (player) in the history of football and we want him to stay with us," Bartomeu told reporters on Tuesday.
"There will be negotiations...but even if I don't want to talk about figures, if he's the best player in the world it makes sense that he is so from all points of view." After extending the contracts of Neymar and Luis Suarez until 2021, Barca are desperate to keep hold of the five-time World Player of the Year, whose deal expires in 2018.
"He's at home here...I believe Leo is fully convinced he's in the best place he can be," said Bartomeu. It's been a tumultuous year for Messi off the pitch though, with him and his father sentenced to 21 months in jail for tax fraud. The pair have appealed the ruling, although the prison sentences are likely to be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years.