Messi will sign another Barcelona contract, predicts Bartomeu

Lionel Messi will sign another Barcelona contract to ensure he stays at the club for the rest of his career, believes president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

After a long delay and with his deal running down, Messi finally agreed terms on a fresh four-year contract in November, taking him to the end of the 2020-21 season.

Messi will be 34 at the end of that contract, but Bartomeu expects the Argentina star to sign another Barcelona deal before he retires.

"We are a club that bets on good football," Bartomeu told Bloomberg. "We have a unique style of play and Messi is the best player in the world, our key player.

"Andres Iniesta is an example. We want him here not as a player, but as a legend in the future.

"And with Messi I hope it's the same. Now he's got a four-year contract, but I don't think it will be his last [with Barcelona]."

Messi's new contract has a buyout clause set at €700million, with his 30 club titles matching the record set by his team-mate, Barca captain Iniesta.