Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that Barcelona will hold talks with Lionel Messi over a new contract in the "next couple of months".
Barcelona's club president exclusively told the Daily Telegraph that he would look to open discussions with the Argentina superstar over extending his stay at the Camp Nou, as the club look to tie down their world famous triumvirate of strikers.
Neymar has already committed himself to the Catalan outfit for the next five years, while fellow forward Luis Suarez is also in negotiations over penning a new deal, and, when asked about when talks with Messi would begin, Bartomeu insisted they would occur soon.
He said: Neymar the next five years. Messi? Not yet. But we will have the negotiation with Messi in the next couple of months.�
Bartomeu, whose family have been season ticket holders at Barcelona for over 70 years, also commented on speculation surrounding Messi departing the La Liga giants and moving to the Premier League.
The 29-year-old has been linked with a reunion with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola at Manchester City but, despite saying that anything can happen in the future, Bartomeu refuted suggestions that he ever got wound up over gossip concerning Messi.
Exclusive: @JBurtTelegraph talks Messi, Pep and the Premier League with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeuhttps://t.co/5PJkHczp1H
He continued: No, not annoyed. This is a decision for Leo Messi or for any player to change club.
Right now Leo Messi has a contract to the end of the Russian World Cup [in 2018] and we are very happy with him. Very happy. He's the best player in the world, by far.
"I don't know what will happen in the future but of course we will always try to explain to him that he is at the best club in the world and this is the best place for him to live and he is living the best experience of his life with us.�
With 30 winners' medals for club and country, eight personal awards and 470 goals in 545 matches, Messi could be forgiven for starting to take it easy as he begins to enter the latter stages of his playing career.
Lionel Messi is top scorer of both La Liga (7 goals) and Champions League (6 goals) this season.
Best in the world.. pic.twitter.com/Mnl8in1qWh
However, Bartomeu said that he believes that the sky's the limit for the five-time Ballon d'Or victor - and added that Messi still has the potential to become an even better player than he currently is.
Bartomeu added: He is still only 29. And if you see him playing it seems like he is one of our very young players. Leo Messi reinvented himself two years ago and changed the way he played and he is a better player now than he was then, a much better player. So normally players increase and then reduce but he is still growing. So where are the limits? We don't know.
Yes, I am sure (he is the best ever), because I have seen in this stadium players like Maradona, Ronaldinho, Johan Cruyff. I did not see Pele because I was too young but all the rest of the big players I saw and there was nobody like Leo Messi. It's not the way he plays but the fact that he plays like it every match, every match. How can he do it? Incredible.�
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