Barcelona bosses are mapping out a deal for Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi, AS reports, suggesting that the club could even offer the player a lifelong salary in a bid to persuade him to renew his contract, which runs out at the end of this season.
The option has been rejected by previous Barca bosses but Joan Laporta, the club’s current president, still clings to the idea, the report suggests.
If Messi agrees, he could receive a lasting salary from the Catalan club, which may defer some payments it owes him. However, if he were to sign for another team he would not be paid by Barca for the duration of the contract, but would allegedly continue to receive his lifelong salary upon retiring from the game.
It's reported that Messi could decide if he'll tie himself to the club for life before the current La Liga season comes to a close, even without the presence of Jorge Messi, the footballer’s father and agent, the outlet says.
In any case, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to give his all for Barca, which has not won the Champions League since 2015.
Messi, 33, signalled last summer that he was planning to leave the Spanish giant, where he has played for his entire career, but bureaucracy and the prospect of a potential court battle stalled a move. The captain of Argentina's national team decided to stay until the end of this season, giving the top brass some time to try to convince him to sign a new contract.
