Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed Lionel Messi ‘is already playing under a new deal’ and is confident on Andres Iniesta’s renewal.
The Argentine star’s current contract at the Camp Nou expires next summer and has not yet officially put pen to paper on a new deal.
Iniesta, 33, is also out of contract in June and recently denied claims by Bartomeu that there was an ‘agreement in principle’ for a new deal.
“This contract is signed until 2022 and he is already playing under it,” Bartomeu explained in an interview with 8TV.
“We will take the photo with Messi's signature, hopefully this year but the contract has been signed by his father, who holds his image rights.
“Iniesta? The agreement will be special, it will be different just because it is him, I won't reveal exactly what because it is part of private negotiations, but we have been negotiating for a long time.
“He isn't just a reference point for us, but also for the young supporters, he has earned the right to play here until he decides not to any more.
“Andres is critical to this club and the intention is that this extension will be an indefinite contract so that he can finish whenever he desires.”
