Messi signs new Barça contract with staggering release clause

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has signed a new four year contract with European football giants FC Barcelona. Messi, 30 has been locked in protracted contract talks with the club where he started his career at the start of the new millennium.

The announcement comes a day after Messi picked up his European Golden Shoe Award. The club announced the news in an official statement on Saturday afternoon indicating a staggering €700m as the buy-out clause in the new contract

“FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi signed on Saturday morning a new contract that will keep the Argentinian superstar at the Club through the 2020/21 season.

“The buyout clause was set at €700m. Thus, by the time the new deal expires, the 30-year-old striker will have spent 17 years with the first team,” reads the statement.

Messi joined Barcelona as a 13-year old in 2001 from Argentine side Newell’s Old Boys and made his first-team debut against Espanyol in 2004.

“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,” Messi told the club’s official website.

“The objective is to continue achieving things, fill the club’s trophy cases, and keep making history at Barca. We’ve been lucky enough to have won a great many things and I hope there will be more in the future.”

He is the team’s record goalscorer with 523 goals, scored in just 602 matches.