Josep Maria Bartomeu: 'Lionel Messi will sign another Barcelona contract'

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has predicted that Lionel Messi's latest contract at Camp Nou will not be his last.

The Argentine was subject to intense transfer speculation last year as his Barca deal was set to expire at the end of the current term.

However, Messi finally agreed terms on a fresh four-year contract in November, taking him to the end of the 2020-21 season.

The Barca talisman will be 34 at the end of that contract, but Bartomeu expects the player to sign another deal before he retires.

"We are a club that bets on good football," Bartomeu told Bloomberg. "We have a unique style of play and Messi is the best player in the world, our key player.

"Andres Iniesta is an example. We want him here not as a player, but as a legend in the future. And with Messi I hope it's the same. Now he's got a four-year contract, but I don't think it will be his last [with Barca]."

Messi has made 621 appearances for Barca, scoring 535 goals and registering 244 assists.