Lionel Messi Set to Sign 2-Year Extension at Barcelona - With Walk-Away Clause

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is expected to sign a new two-year contract which will also include the option to walk away from Camp Nou for free after the first season.

Messi's current deal expires in 2021 and there has been an obvious willingness from both sides to extend his stay and keep the Argentine at the club for as long as possible.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Messi is set to stick with his plan of signing two-year contracts which give him the freedom to decide on his future. This latest extension is set to run until 2023, two years after his current contract expires, committing the Ballon d'Or holder to at least two more years at Barcelona.

In 2022, Messi will have the option to trigger another year or walk away for free, similar to the clause which was available to the Argentine this summer.

There have been no official negotiations over this contract as of yet, but nobody believes there needs to be. Barcelona know this is the plan and are happy to offer Messi an improved salary (he is reported to be on north of €600k a week), and Messi himself has complete trust in his club's desire to meet his demands.

Barcelona know full-well that Messi is the best player in the world. They believe he should never have to agree to a pay cut as long as he is the best around, and the number 10 shirt will always be available to him while he sits atop football's Mount Olympus.

Everyone involved is confident of a positive outcome at some point down the line, so in the meantime, the focus is purely on playing football and winning trophies. Whenever the two parties decide to get serious about a new contract, a deal will be reached fairly easily.

Don't expect an official announcement on this one anytime soon, but don't interpret that as a problem. It seems as though it's just a matter of time.

Barcelona remain on track to win the La Liga title this season. A 2-0 win over Leganés on Tuesday saw them move five points clear of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and can close the gap to just two points with a victory over Valencia on Thursday.

Quique Setién's side will also have the Champions League to consider this summer. They drew 1-1 with Napoli in the first leg of their last-16 clash before football's suspension and will hope to improve on that when the two sides meet at Camp Nou in August.

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