Barcelona are confident that Lionel Messi will extend his contract despite reports on Monday suggesting he had rejected the chance to renew his terms in the summer, a club source has told ESPN FC.

Spanish newspaper Marca claimed Messi does not wish to consider his future until the end of his current deal, which runs until 2018.

Citing unnamed sources, it reported that the 29-year-old had informed Barcelona of that in the summer, days after he and his father were given suspended 21-month sentences by a Spanish court having been found guilty of tax fraud.

But ESPN FC has been told Barcelona remain calm and expect Messi to sign a contract renewal once they have secured deals for Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the coming months.

Those three will follow Sergio Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Neymar in committing their futures to Barcelona, with Messi then set to sign a deal that would again make him the best-paid player in the world.

The Catalan media was quick to react to the Marca report, with Diario Sport saying it was made up as revenge after Barcelona boycotted the Madrid-based outlet's awards ceremony last week.

Mundo Deportivo followed that up with a report that the Argentine forward's father Jorge would begin talks with the club in December.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has always maintained that Messi has a contract for life and in September told ESPN FC negotiations would begin in "the coming months."

This is not the first time there has been uncertainty over Messi's future at the Camp Nou.

Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid were all on red alert in 2014 when reports circulated that Barca were prepared to sell him for his €250 million release clause.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by Samuel Marsden

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