Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that Lionel Messi is welcome at the club “forever”.
In an interview with ESPN, the 53-year-old lauded the Argentine superstar, saying: “[Messi] has all the years he wants [with Barcelona]. Lionel Messi is the best ever to play football in the history of the world and he plays with us,” he said.
“We are very happy, he is very important for the club, he’s very important for the fans, he’s very important for football itself.
“And Lionel Messi in the next coming months of course we are going to talk with him because he knows, he already knows that he has a contract forever. There is not a limit with him.
“The limit will be decided by him and right now he is 29 years old, he is talented, he is ambitious, and he’s in perfect shape to continue for many more years.”
Messi’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2017/18 season, and has been linked with a possible homecoming to boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys.
Barcelona face 11th placed Alaves at the Camp Nou this Saturday, and will be looking to continue their perfect start to the domestic campaign.
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