Laporta and Messi sit down to negotiate
Barcelona are gradually making progress on Leo Messi's new contract. In recent days, there have been conversations and the foundations have been laid for the new contract.
Renewing Leo Messi is the main topic of the day at Barca. The club do not imagine a scenario where Messi is not at the club next season and Joan Laporta started his campaign to persuade the Argentine as soon as he became president.
He said publicly that he was going to do everything possible to get Messi to pen a new deal and, at the moment, he is sticking to his word. Laporta is in no rush as he knows that Messi is not going to betray the club.
'Sport' explained this Tuesday that the Barcelona president and Jorge Messi, Lionel's father, have been talks for several days. They have been talking about the club's future and what Messi's contract could look like.
The cited media outlet has indicated that Barcelona have been able to lay down the foundations of the agreement and Laporta has explained what the club's offer is. It has been looked at positively by Messi's inner circle and that is a big step towards him renewing.
But there are still several details left to negotiate. Barcelona want Messi to stay at the club until he quits football while the striker wants certainty that the club will try and make a squad which will compete for everything.
What is clear is that things take time and even though both parties are keen to renew, some weeks of meetings still remain. However, Messi is closer to renewing than before.