Barcelona open talks with Lionel Messi to keep striker at Nou Camp until end of his career
Spanish giants move early with long term deal to ward off Premier League interest from Manchester City and Chelsea
BARCELONA have opened up contract talks with Lionel Messi aimed at making sure the striker ends his career at the Nou Camp.
Messi has two years left to run on his existing £300,000-a-week deal but the Spanish giants believe they need to act quickly to stop him being tempted elsewhere.
Chelsea and Manchester City have both made approaches to the 28-year-old over the past 18 months and would be willing to try to finance a big money transfer.
City in particular have followed up with a strong approach in the hope they could persuade Messi to link up with his former boss Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
That has pushed Barca in to acting quicker than they had planned and the club have begun the long process of agreeing a five-year extension that will keep the Argentine with them until he is 35.
The club had prioritised securing the long-term future of Neymar in Barcelona, with the Brazilian showing last season he is a major influence on the side.
They had initially been happy to wait until next season to sit down with the Messi camp but that has been brought forward to make certain they keep hold of the five time world player of the year.
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Messi himself is understood to be relaxed about the rush, insisting he is settled with life in Spain.
He is currently on international duty with Argentina playing in the Copa America, and has told Barca that he doesn’t want to talk until he returns for pre-season training.
Messi has never tasted Copa America success with his country and is desperate for that run to end in the US this year.
