Story highlights
Leo Messi has signed a new contract with La Liga giant Barcelona
Messi has extended his stay at Camp Nou until 2018
Four-time World Player of the Year will earn net salary of $14.75 million per year
Follows Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez in pledging future to the club
If you’ve got a spare $335 million then Leo Messi could be all yours – but the Argentine has no intention of leaving Barcelona after pledging his future to the club until 2018.
The 25-year-old has signed a new long-term deal with his buy-out clause remaining at $335 million, while he will earn a net salary of $14.75 million per year.
This is the sixth time in eight seasons that Messi has negotiated a new contract with Barcelona desperate to hold onto its star player.
Messi crowned world’s best for record fourth time
Four-time World Player of the Year Messi broke all records on the way to scoring an unparalleled 91 goals in 2012 for club and country, surpassing the previous record of 85 set by Germany’s Gerd Muller in 1972.
The move comes after teammates Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez both signed new deals with the club.
A statement on the Barcelona website said: “This afternoon Leo Messi extended his contract with FC Barcelona through June 30 of 2018.
Messi joins Xavi and Puyol in agreeing new deals
“The signing ceremony was attended by the player, president Sandro Rosell, vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the director of football Andoni Zubizarreta.
“Messi added two additional years to his existing contract, which was set to expire in June of 2016.
“The player, who joined the club when he was 13 years old and made his first-team debut three years later, will be 31 when his contract expires.”
Messi leads Barcelona to new record
Messi agreed the contract at the end of last year but has only just signed it.
The Argentina star has scored eight times in Barcelona’s first five La Liga matches of 2013, including four against Osasuna in a 5-1 win on January 27.
Since making his Barcelona debut in 2003, he has collected three European Champions League crowns, two FIFA Club World Cup titles, five Spanish league championships and two Copa del Rey medals.
Along the way, he has scored more goals for the club in both the Spanish league and European competition than any other player in Barcelona’s illustrious 113-year history.
