After 7,504 days since signing his first Barcelona contract, Lionel Messi is a free agent without a team.
Both he and Barcelona have spent a long time discussing a contract extension, but there is still no agreement between the two parties.
Blaugrana president Joan Laporta doesn’t seem too worried though.
“We want Leo to stay and he wants to stay,” he told Onda Cero’s ‘El Transistor’.
“Everything’s going the right way, and we’re trying to find a solution that we’re all happy with.
“It’s about ‘fair play’ now.
“I’d love to say he is staying but I can’t say that yet because we’re still working through things.”
As well as the hot topic of Messi‘s future, Laporta was also drawn on the subject of the failed Super League project.
“There’s no money left in the market,” he said.
“We’ve got to find ways around that and change things.
“That’s where this idea came from.”
And in response to those who feel the new project would reduce the importance of the domestic calendar, Laporta added that Barcelona “would still want to win the league every year.”
Laporta is still finding his feet in his second spell as president, and he admitted the challenges that have come with it.
“When I started in 2003, we created a mini-revolution and everything went well.
“Now I’m reinvigorated and people are excited.
“The task is huge because people demand a lot of us, but I like that and I’m prepared for it.”
Finally Laporta told of his pleasure at the recent pardons issued by the Spanish government towards the nine Catalan leaders who were involved in a bid for separation in 2017.
I’m very happy about these pardons,” he said.
“It’s great that an understanding has been reached and now it’s about finding a solution that suits us all.”
