La Liga champions Barcelona are said to be preparing a bumper new deal for Lionel Messi which will see the club's posterboy spend the reminder of his career at Camp Nou.
The marriage between the Argentine international and the Blaugrana is almost inseparable with the player becoming the face of the Spanish heavyweights for more than a decade. The club's No.10's current contract runs until 2021 and as per reports, measures are already in place to tie the striker to a new long-term deal.
At the age of 31, Messi has reached the very summit of his career and, while he is not showing any signs of slowing down soon, Barca has thought it wise to extend his stay. According to AS, club president Josep Bartomeu is ready for a sit down with Messi, and talks for the 'lifetime contract' is on the table at the meeting scheduled for the beginning of the season.
The deal, which is similar to the one offered to Andres Iniesta prior to his departure in 2018, would allow the Argentine to retire at the Barcelona or secure a move elsewhere, and then subsequently return to the club as a coach or ambassador.
Meanwhile, athough Messi still remains in numerous plans for the Blaugrana, the club is already thinking about how it will cope when he retires.
"We think it is our obligation to work on the post-Messi era," President Bartomeu told Reuters.
"We are thinking about a post-Messi era because we are bringing in new players...
"We have to think about this changing era when Messi will give up playing football but, as president, I hope that he is going to be (have) very large years playing with us still."
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