Barcelona announce blockbuster new deal for Lionel Messi

 

Barcelona have announced Lionel Messi has put questions about his long-term future to bed by agreeing a new four-year deal reportedly worth a staggering £500,000-a-week.

 

The Spanish giants incredibly allowed Messi to enter the final 12 months of his previous contract and there had been some doubts whether he would prolong his deal after Pep Guardiola tried to reunite with the Argentina international at Manchester City last summer.

 

However, Messi, who got married to his long-term partner last week, has put any doubts about his future to bed by agreeing terms to a new contract that will run until June 2021.

 

The 30-year-old has won eight league titles, four Champions Leagues, five Copa del Rey, seven Spanish Super Cups, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cups, as well as the Ballon d’Or prize a record five occasions during what has been an outstanding career for one of the greatest players of all-time.

 

 

Messi will officially sign the contract when he returns from his holiday in a few weeks time and Barcelona have included a new release clause of £300m to put potential suitors off in the future.

 

In the 2016/17 campaign, Messi finished as the top goalscorer in Europe’s top five leagues (37) and with the most WhoScored Man of the Match Awards (16). Since August 2009, Messi has scored more goals than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues (295).

 

For more stats on stats on Lionel Messi, click here to visit his WhoScored player page