- Lionel Messi’s current Barcelona contract will expire next summer
- Argentine icon has yet to pen a new deal to extend his stay
- Rakitic remains confident, but is concerned over teammate’s future
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With his current contract set to expire at the end of the season, Lionel Messi is causing real concern for some Barcelona supporters.
Given what he has achieved with the club over the last 16 years, it’s difficult to not see him sign a new deal and prolong his stay at the Nou Camp, but the wait goes on for official confirmation with just seven months to go on his current deal.
The 30-year-old has bagged a staggering 523 goals in 601 appearances for Barcelona, winning countless trophies and individual accolades including eight La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies and five Ballon d’Or awards along the way to establish himself as a legend with the Catalan giants.
However, teammate Ivan Rakitic is hopeful that he will opt to continue to write history with the club, although he has raised his concern over whether or not the Argentine international will commit his future by signing a new deal.
“I am confident he will [stay],” he told the media, as reported by The Express. “I can’t say 100 per cent if he will stay or not. That’s his decision and you have to respect what each person thinks or does.
“We know the fans want to see the picture, the handshake; I do, too. I want to play with Leo tomorrow, three years, five years in the future.”
It remains to be seen whether or not he gets his wish, but with players on expiring deals next summer allowed to discuss terms with other clubs from January onwards, it’s only going to create more nerves the longer the wait goes on to see Messi put pen to paper on a new contract.