Barcelona forward Neymar believes that his teammate Lionel Messi will sign an extension at the club.
Spanish media outlet Marca have recently reported that contract negotiations between Barcelona and Lionel Messi have hit a standstill despite the Blaugrana side stating that the issue would be resolved by March 2017.
Last month, reports emerged that the Argentine had rejected a contract extension in July this year. It is understood that the 28-year-old was on vacation with his family when he opted to turn down an offer made by club president Josep Bartomeu.
However, since then the club have made it clear how much they value Messi and are fighting tooth and nail to tie him down to an extension at the club. Bartmomeu is also looking to make the prolific attacker the world’s highest-paid footballer.
Until this day, there is still to be an official meeting between the two parties regarding any possible extension of a contract. The club reportedly passed up on the opportunity to propose a new contract to Messi’s father while he was in Barcelona.
The Argentine’s current deal at the Camp Nou expires in 2018, but his Barca teammate Neymar is optimistic that he will commit his future to the Catalan Giants. Neymar expects the deal to finalised soon.
“We hope that Messi will stay in Barcelona with us,” he told reporters in Sao Paulo on Thursday (via Goal).
“I expect that he will sign a new deal soon.”
Neymar is not the only one who expects Messi to sign an extension as former midfielder Xavi also shares the Brazilian’s opinion. The former Spain international stated that he is in regular contact with the Argentine, and that he appears happy and content with life at the Nou Camp.
Messi’s strike partner Luis Suarez has also urged his teammate to get the negotiations over with. The duo have formed a sublime understanding since the Uruguyan’s move from Liverpool, and Suarez will be hoping that the Argentine continues supplementing him in the Barcelona attack.
