Lionel Messi becomes a free agent on Thursday, and that’s obviously being covered by the Catalan media on Wednesday, with some confidence a renewal isn’t far away for the superstar.
Sport report the player’s continuity has been agreed, in general terms, for some time. Negotiations on the renewal are ‘very advanced’, even if there’s fringes of the deal still to be sorted out.
That said, Sport seem to think it’s just a case of the paperwork missing the Argentine’s signature.
According to the report, Barcelona had wanted to announce a new two year contract for Messi on the 24th, which was the player’s birthday. When that failed, attention turned to June 29th, yesterday. Strangely, Sport believe the 29th was a desired date because it was president Joan Laporta’s birthday.
However, due to the complexities of the situation, Laporta didn’t get the birthday present he perhaps wanted most.
Everything could be ‘imminent’, Sport say, having spoken to sources at the Catalan club, yet there is no firm ‘forecast’ of what happens now.
Barcelona want an announcement as soon as possible, but are being held back by the fringes of the deal and the legalities.
