According to SportsMail, Barcelona are set to hand Lionel Messi and Spanish left-back Jordi new deals. Although talks have not started on a new deal for the 31-year-old, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has little doubt over the Argentine extending his stay beyond 2021 when his current contract expires.
‘Leo Messi will continue with us,’ Bartomeu told RKB. ‘He is a club player and the relationship will continue forever.’ The Spanish league leaders are also keen to tie down Messi’s team-mate Jordi Alba to a new long term deal. Alba has become a key member of the first team at the Nou Camp and Bartomeu has admitted the full-back has been offered an extended deal. He has told us that he wants to continue,’ Bartomeu added. ‘We have offered him a new contract over five years and I hope we will continue discussing the deal.’
With Barca still fighting for trophies on all three fronts in the form of the Spanish title, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, it is perhaps also no surprise that Bartomeu is also keen on keeping hold of manager Ernesto Valverde. The Barca president admits that while he has challenged the Barca boss to land a third treble in 10 years, it is not essential to keep him at he Nou Camp. ‘I believe he will stay.’ Bartomeu claimed. ‘He trusts his players and it is only his second season in charge.
‘The goal is to finish the season strong and win everything. I trust him to lead the team and even if we do not win anything, he will continue to coach the team.’ Meanwhile, Philippe Coutinho could end up at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, according to reports in France. Coutinho has not yet truly settled at the Camp Nou since joining 12 months ago, with manager Ernesto Valverde claimed to have ‘given up’ on the Brazilian.
There were rumours that the Red Devils and the Blues – who are thought to be preparing for the potential departure of Eden Hazard – were interested in Coutinho’s services in January, with the Brazil international’s former club Liverpool linked too. It never seemed likely a move would materialise in the winter window and Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently seemed to rule out a move this summer as well.
Further to that, Guillermo Amor, director of institutional and sporting relations admitted that the club were happier with Coutinho’s form earlier in the season following their draw against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday – but also came out in defence of the playmaker. However, there is new speculation almost every week that Coutinho could be on his way out at the Camp Nou with Le10 Sport suggesting he could be a target for PSG in the summer.
The report claims that his compatriot Neymar – who plays for the French giants – is a ‘great supporter of the profile and qualities’ that Coutinho would bring to the club. And Le10 Sport believes Neymar ‘will undoubtedly encourage’ the PSG board to ‘seize the opportunity’ to purchase Coutinho in the summer transfer window.