Lionel Messi renewed his contract six months ago, says Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov

SOFIA, BULGARIA - MAY 19:  Hristo Stoichkov, head coach of PFC Litex Lovech looks on during the Bulgarian A PFG League match between PFC CSKA Sofia and PFC Litex Lovech held on May 19, 2012 at the Bulgarian Army Stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria. (Photo by Nikolay Doychinov/EuroFootball/Getty Images)
Hristo Stochkov claim Lionel Messi has signed a new contract

What's the story?

Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov has made a shocking claim, stating that Blaugrana star Lionel Messi renewed his contract six months ago. According to the Spanish outlet Sport, when Stoichkov was asked about Messi’s contract situation, he replied saying, “Messi renewed six months ago.”

Stoichkov further criticised the media for their scathing remarks on Luis Enrique saying, “Nobody can write what I'm hearing and reading, accusing Luis Enrique of things, accusing the team of not playing in the best way. It's not true. For one game you can't judge a team that has won everything."

Barcelona were subject to a lot of press and media backlash following their 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League first leg at the Parc de Princes, which prompted the former player to speak out in support of Enrique.

In case you didn’t know...

Messi has been at the heart of numerous rumours over the past six months with various reports claiming that contract talks between the star player and the club had broken down. The Argentine’s current contract expires in 2018 and he was expected to sign a new deal last month.

However, since then he has made a few interesting demands during negotiations as per reports.

The heart of the matter

Messi’s contract situation is subject to speculation at the moment, however, according to ‘El Pistolero’ Hristo Stoichkov, the Argentine superstar has already signed a new deal.

This comes as a surprise because the Catalan giants have not confirmed that he has committed his future to the club. Barcelona are aiming to keep their talisman, but if Stoichkov’s claims are in fact true, then the club should know better than to withhold the news from the fans and the general public.

What’s next?

Manchester City were rumoured to be preparing a bid to lure the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to the Etihad. But if Stoichkov, who maintains close ties with his old club, is to be believed, then the Argentine maestro is all set to stay put in Spain for the foreseeable future.

It is a mystery as to why the club have not confirmed his claims, as that would have put an end to the speculation surrounding their best player once and for all.

Sportskeeda’s Take

Although Stoichkov is a prominent figure in the world of football, and possibly has access to inside information at Barcelona, these claims are rather confusing owing to the fact that the Catalan club have not announced the news officially. It is extremely unlikely that the 29-year-old penned a deal six months ago and until Barcelona confirm a new contract for Messi, the rumours and speculation will continue.

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Edited by Staff Editor