Argentinean football star Leo Messi signed a new contract with FC Barcelona on Friday.??
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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal against Getafe during their Spanish first division match at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez stadium in Getafe, September 12, 2009. [Xinhua] |
The 22-year-old, who many consider the best player in the world, has agreed a deal that will keep him with the current Primera Liga and Champions League holders until the end of June 2016, when he will be 29 years old .
His previous contract had tied him to the club until 2014.
As well as receiving a considerable wage increase, Messi has also agreed to a substation increase to the buyout clause on his contract. Any club that now wants to buy him will have to pay 250 million euros.
The previous clause was 150 million euros; no longer inaccessible, considering that Real Madrid paid 95 million euros for Cristiano Ronaldo this summer increase on his previous agreement.
The agreement should put an end to rumors of interest from big spending English club Manchester City as well as ruling out any chance of a move to Real Madrid
Messi made his debut for Barcelona in October 2004, when he was just 17 years old and last season scored 23 goals in the Primera Liga as well as netting the decisive second goal in the Champions League final as Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2-0.
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2009)
