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Lionel Messi isn't going anywhere. The global football star has reached an agreement with Barcelona for a new five-year deal, per report from ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.
The name Lionel Messi itself has grown synonymous with Barcelona. The 34-year-old has spent literally half his life playing for the Blaugrana, first tasting action at the tender age of 17.
Messi has reportedly agreed to take a significant cut to his wages to facilitate the extension with the club. His previous contract was valued at an eye-popping €500 million (or $594 million) which had expired earlier this month.
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On its surface, it would have seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Barcelona icon would stick around. But given Lionel Messi's advancing age, and the recent controversies surrounding the team's inability to find success on the pitch, it seemed like a messy breakup was on the horizon.
But not even a year ago today was when Lionel Messi expressed his interest to leave Barcelona. The club was reeling from a brutal 8-2 defeat at the hands of fellow European powerhouse Bayern Munich. Just like his rival Cristiano Ronaldo just a few years prior, it seemed like a departure from La Liga was in the cards for Leo as Ligue 1's Paris Saint-Germain and the English Premier League's Manchester City circled in as potential suitors willing to cut the check for his services. But with this news of an extension, those other clubs would have to spend their money elsewhere.
Lionel Messi has been the driving force behind Barcelona's success for nearly two decades. It looks like he's set to extend it to a third.
