Lionel Messi Signs Four-Year Extension With Barcelona

Lionel Messi is staying with Barcelona until 2021.

Lionel Messi staying with Barcelona until 2021, set to earn $646,000 per week

The club announced on Wednesday that the Argentine forward has signed a new four-year contract to continue playing at Camp Nou for the next four years. Messi, 30, is set to earn £500,000 ($646,000) per week.

Sky Sports News HQ’s Kaveh Solhekol provided details of the deal, which includes €300 million ($330 million) with its release clause.

Sport’s Toni Frieros reported that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner — who married his longtime girlfriend Antonela Roccuzzo in their native Rosario just last week — will also earn a €50 million ($55 million) “renewal premium.”

Messi’s previous contract with Barcelona, signed in May 2014, was set to expire next summer (2018). He had up until recently been linked with a move to several other major European teams, including Manchester City.

According to The Sun’s Dave Fraser, team-mate Neymar stated after Barca’s unlikely 6-1 UEFA Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain in March that “Messi will renew, for sure,” despite rumors following the team’s subsequent loss to Juventus that the Argentine was approaching an exit from Barcelona.

Ernesto Valverde took over as Barca’s manager in May after Luis Enrique led the club for three years.

“The club is very happy with both the renewal and the commitment of Messi, the best player in history,” Barca said in a statement. “He has played his full professional career at Barca and has led the team to an era of extraordinary success, the likes of which has never been seen in world football.”

According to WhoScored.com, Messi has netted 507 goals in 583 matches for Barcelona since joining the club’s La Masia Academy at the age of 13 in 2000, though his real debut with the team came against Espanyol in 2004. Since that debut, he has led the club to 30 league trophies including eight La Ligas, four Champions Leagues and five Copas del Rey. He is also La Liga’s top scorer with 349 goals.

Messi is also Argentina’s all-time leading scorer.

MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 23: Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates as he scores their third goal during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Bernabeu on April 23, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)