Barcelona have confirmed that Lionel Messi has signed a new contract which will keep him at Camp Nou until 2021.
The Argentina international's contract was due to expire next summer, with reports suggesting that the club talisman was pining for a move away.
Barca announced in July that Messi had agreed to a new deal but the forward had delayed signing the contract, leading to fears that he could begin negotiations with foreign clubs from January onwards.
However, speculation over Messi's future has now been quashed, with the 30-year-old committing to the Blaugrana for the next four years with a deal which features a £626m buyout clause.
A statement on the Barca site read: "FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi signed on Saturday morning a new contract that will keep the Argentinian superstar at the Club through the 2020-21 season. The buyout clause was set at €700m. Thus, by the time the new deal expires, the 30-year-old striker will have spent 17 years with the first team."
Since joining the club at 13 and graduating from the La Masia academy, Messi has helped the Blaugrana to eight La Liga titles and won the Champions League four times.
Giuseppe Labellarte
