Legend Approaches Contract Renewal with Barcelona

ESPN Argentina revealed that Argentine star Lionel Messi is close to renewing his contract with Barcelona until 2023, which means for another two seasons. According to the network, the management of the Catalan club, led by Joan Laporta, is working hard to reunite Messi with his Brazilian friend Neymar, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain and is one of Barcelona's main targets for the upcoming season. Previous media reports indicated that Messi's father, who is also his agent, Jorge Messi, expressed openness regarding the possibility of his son signing a new long-term contract with Barcelona, noting that "Leo" currently prioritizes sports matters over financial ones and wants to lead a new successful project with Barcelona, rather than just receiving a huge salary. At 33 years old, Messi was on the verge of leaving Barcelona in the last summer transfer window due to the aftermath of Barcelona's historic loss to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. However, the former club president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, did everything possible to obstruct Messi's potential transfer, even to the extent of attempting to negotiate his iconic status by demanding an exorbitant release clause in his contract for his release.