An alleged contract standoff between four-time FIFA Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi and Barcelona is ready to come to an end. According to Football Espana, the club is said to be willing and eager to elevate Messi as the highest paid player in the world.
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Club president Josep Bartomeu made his intentions clear on Catalan TV (h/t Fox Sports). "Messi is under contract until 2018," Bartomeu told TV3. "But we want to improve it to adapt to football's current situation."
The intention is to conclude negotiations before the start of the World Cup.
In order to return happiness to the 26-year-old, Barcelona will have to supplant the contract signed by Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013. That winter, Madrid offered the reigning FIFA Ballon d'Or winner a five-year, $206 million contract, keeping the Portuguese star in the Spanish capital until 2020.
Rumors of Messi's unhappy state swirled following Barcelona's consecutive losses in the UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey and Spanish Liga. The club is on the verge of finishing their first trophy-less season since 2008. A disinterested performance in the Copa del Rey final—one that saw him run just 1.5 kilometers more than his goalkeeper—caused many to criticize Messi's efforts.
Bartomeu, however, believes laying blame on the Argentine wizard is unjust.
"I think people are being unfair on Leo Messi. He has led us to so many wins in recent years," he added. "He has led the team and done so very well and we have no doubt that he will continue to lead the club into the future."
"He's a young player, the best in the world and we have every faith in him."
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