The Catalans former leader believes their star will have no issues staying at Camp Nou
Lionel Messi will “have no trouble” signing a contract extension at Barcelona, according to the club’s former president Joan Laporta.
Messi’s future at Camp Nou has been a talking point amid turmoil at Barcelona, where the star is contracted until 2021.
The Argentina international can leave the La Liga giants for free at the end of any season, sparking even further speculation over his future.
But former Barca president Laporta, who is expected to run again next year, said it would be easy for Messi to re-sign.
“[Messi] will have no trouble renewing his contract,” he told Deportes Cuatro on Wednesday.
A player linked with a reunion with Messi at Barcelona is Neymar, who left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
Laporta said he would bring the Brazil international back to Camp Nou, where he starred for four seasons before his departure.
“They were not clear with him,” he said. “I would bring him back for sure.”
Another former player Laporta seemingly wants to bring back is Xavi, with the Spaniard previously linked to returning to Camp Nou as their manager.
“Xavi? Of course it would be possible,” Laporta said. “It would be the natural solution, there will come a time when he will consider it. He has to decide when.”
While yet to commit to running for a place on Barca’s new board, Laporta has previously expressed his desire to improve the club’s current economic status.
“This is a project that has me very excited, I am gathering together people I trust because we have to think hard about how to revert the economic situation,” he told GOL’s YouTube channel.
“The club is in a very delicate situation, that of €3 billion (Barca’s current budget including revenue, outgoings and debt) and it is important to present a believable, realistic proposal and offer a sporting project that garners enthusiasm and improves our institutional image.
“I am excited about coming back, but I have room to decide still. I am more enthusiastic about turning around the club’s delicate economic situation with a proposal based on guarantees, I have advanced in this and I am very hopeful.
“I think those who are there right now need to keep going, if they walk away now the entirety of the situation which has caused the debt with which they are now faced will become apparent.”
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