Barcelona CEO Reveals Club Are Preparing to Offer Lionel Messi 'Lifetime Contract'

Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau has revealed that the club are planning to offer Lionel Messi a lifetime contract to keep him at the club for the remainder of his career.

The Argentine talisman agreed a new four-year deal in July, but has not yet sat down with president Josep Maria Bartomeu to sign it.

Bartomeu has insisted that negotiations with Messi have gone to plan and that he will commit his future to Barcelona imminently.

The offer of a lifetime contract for the 30-year-old is similar to the one agreed with midfielder Andres Iniesta earlier this month.

Barcelona CEO Grau has revealed that the club are looking to secure the future of Messi beyond the end of his playing career.

"Messi signed a four-year deal in June, but the club will offer him a lifetime contract," Grau said at Barca's annual general meeting on Saturday, quoted by ESPN. 

"The idea is for Leo, who has been here since he was little, to stay here for life because he is an icon. After his playing days we want him to continue to be linked to the club."

Messi's current contract expires next year and there has been concern around the club that he may opt run it down.

Barcelona have repeatedly stressed that the Argentina international, who has scored 14 goals in 12 appearances so far this season, will soon ease any worries and put pen to paper on a new contract.