Messi is staying at Barca. €700m says so

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November 29 – After months of speculation,  Lionel Messi has signed a new contract keeping him at Barcelona until 1920-21,  saying he had moved closer to his “dream” of finishing his career at his boyhood club.

Had Messi not signed, he would have been free to consider offers in the January transfer window.

But with a buyout clause raised to €700 million, more than double the previous figure, the 30-year-old Argentine maestro, who had one year remaining on his old contract, is clearly going nowhere having scored 523 goals in 602 appearances for Barca.

“The objective is to continue achieving things and making history,” he said.

Since joining at the age of 13, Messi has helped Barca win eight Spanish league titles and the Champions League four times.

“We’ve been lucky enough to have won a great many things and I hope there will be more in the future,” he added. “I’m happy to continue with the club, which is my home. My dream was to finish my career at Barca and we are moving down that path.”

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