Messi has Barcelona contract for life – Bartomeu

Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has said Lionel Messi has a contract with the club “forever”.
The Argentine’s current deal expires in June 2018 and the club are ready for negotiations over a new contract with the 29-year-old.

“[Messi] has all the years he wants [with Barcelona]. Lionel Messi is the best ever to play football in the history of the world and he plays with us,” Bartomeu told ESPN in an interview.

“We are very happy, he is very important for the club, he’s very important for the fans, he’s very important for football itself.

“And Lionel Messi in the next coming months of course we are going to talk with him because he knows, he already knows that he has a contract forever. There is not a limit with him.

“The limit will be decided by him and right now he is 29 years old, he is talented, he is ambitious, and he’s in perfect shape to continue for many more years.”

Bartomeu went on to say that he expected negotiations to be complete shortly, adding: “For now, we think we will do it in the next coming months, but Leo Messi will continue in Barcelona, of course.”