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What's the story?
The biggest transfer story of the summer - even one that included Neymar's departure for a mind-boggling €222 million - was, rather, is one that has not yet happened... but one that's hanging over Barcelona like a proverbial sword.
With Lionel Messi not having put his signature on the contract that the club President so proudly announced he had, there was the very real threat that the Argentine maestro could walk away from the Camp Nou on a free - and into the warm embrace of Pep Guardiola over at Manchester City.
Well, I say "was" because according to the good folk at the Mirror, Leo Messi has decided his future - by signing the contract, finally.
If his performance against Juventus in the Champions League is anything to go by - he appears fully confident he's made the right decision!
In case you didn't know
Earlier, under-fire Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu had sought to allay fears by giving reinforcing statements to the effect that Messi would stay -
"The official photo with the signature we will do, there's no rush. The contract was signed by his father, as well as that of his foundation and his image contract.
He doesn't need to sign it, his father already has. He is already playing with the new contract. There's no better test to his commitment than to see him play."
The heart of the matter
The new contract is set to keep him at Barca till 2021, reportedly while the Argentine's release clause has been upped to €300 million... which seems very low, especially considering Messi's great rival Cristiano Ronaldo has a quite incredible buyout clause of €1 billion and another Real Madrid man, Isco, recently signed an extension that bumped his release clause up to €700 million.
Video
Why this video?
Because we'll never get tired of Lionel Messi making world class defenders look like novices:
Not even the Buffon-curse can stop him when Messi is in the mood.
Author's Take
If true, the club should announce this at the earliest - as well as Barca are playing on the field, the situation off-pitch seems to be getting more and more chaotic by the day. As for the decision itself, once again if true - these reports should always be taken with a pinch of salt - it seems like the logical one to make. Barcelona is Leo Messi; Leo Messi is Barcelona and it would be slightly jarring to see him in the colours of any other club.
