Juan Laporta, the new president of Spanish giants FC Barcelona, is making serious attempts to persuade the club’s team captain Lionel Messi to renew his contract.
According to the Spanish media, the first meeting between the Argentine star and Laporta to discuss the former’s fate will take place in Paris. It will come in conjunction with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain match in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League’s Round of 16.
The Spanish programme indicated that Laporta’s offer to Messi would be to receive half of his current salary per year. Earlier, Spanish reports leaked that Messi’s current contract with Barcelona entails a salary of €138m a year.
Laporta reportedly has a close relationship with the Argentine star, which increased his chances of winning the elections. Perhaps Messi is now closer to staying with Barcelona than ever before.