Lionel Messi contract: Barcelona to begin talks with superstar to close door on Premier League transfer
Manchester City, United and Chelsea linked with move but Barca chief Josep Maria Bartomeu confident of agreeing five-year deal
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BARCELONA are set to begin contract negotiations with Lionel Messi in the 'next couple of months'.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United have all be linked with trying to whisk the Argie maestro away from the Nou Camp.
But Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told the Premier League giants to stop dreaming because he is confident Messi will sign up for five more years, in a deal similar to the one Neymar has just signed with the La Liga champs.
Bartomeu said: “Neymar the next five years. Messi? Not yet. But we will have the negotiation with Messi in the next couple of months."
There has been plenty of talk that Messi would be tempted to quit Spain to join up with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola when his current contract expires in 2018.
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But in an interview with The Telegraph, Bartomeu made it clear the speculation did not upset him.
He added: "No, I am not annoyed by the stories.
“This is a decision for Leo Messi or for any player to change club.
"Right now Leo Messi has a contract to the end of the Russian World Cup and we are very happy with him. Very happy.
"He’s the best player in the world, by far.
"I don’t know what will happen in the future but of course we will always try to explain to him that he is at the best club in the world and this is the best place for him to live and he is living the best experience of his life with us."
City host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, and while Bartomeu reckons Messi will only ever play at the Etihad in a Barca shirt, he can see City chief Guardiola possibly returning to the Nou Camp in a coaching role.
He commented: "Pep is creating a new project at City and I can tell you – it will be successful. He’s an incredible coach.
"I knew he wanted to go to England as a player. He couldn’t do that but now he is a manager. So it’s normal that he went to the Premier League and I hope that one day he will be back here.
“You never know. There are so many people who were at the club, went, came back again.
"You never know but right now he is concentrating on City. I think he has a three-year contract?"