Barcelona: As per the latest reports, Lionel Messi is staying at FC Barcelona, his club since 2004. The Argentine has agreed on a five-year-long deal with the club but at a significantly low salary. According to Sam Marsden of ESPN, Messi has agreed to stay at the club at 50% salary cut. It was reported in June 2021 that Messi has signed a 2-year contract with the Spanish club, but as it turns out, Messi will stay at FC Barcelona till 2026.
After the Covid-19 situation, FC Barcelona is going through a financial crisis and thus, they were finding it difficult to sign new players as they are busy working on the salaries of their current players. Messi's old deal reportedly paid up to €138 million per season.
Transfer market's star reporter Fabrizio Romano also confirmed the news. He wrote, "Messi’s new contract will be until June 2026 and there will be a clause included for €600m."
As reported earlier after Barcelona's humiliating 8-2 loss during the Champions League, Messi almost forced his way out of the club but triggering a clause that made him a free agent. But later, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said that no such clause existed.
Lionel Messi has been playing for FC Barcelona all through his senior career of 18 years after his debut in 2004. He has spent all his senior career playing for Barcelona. With this new 5 year deal, it looks like Messi will finish his club career at FC Barcelona itself.
Messi recently won the Copa America Final with Argentina ending Argentina's 28-year long trophy draught.