Barcelona presidential candidate promises new Lionel Messi contract

Barcelona presidential candidate Jordi Farre is confident that his “exciting project” for the club will be enough to persuade Lionel Messi to sign a new contract.

The Argentina international remains at Camp Nou despite handing in a transfer request during the summer transfer window.

Messi is due to become a free agent in June, though, meaning that he is free to open talks with clubs from next month.

Manchester City, managed by former Barca boss Pep Guardiola, are considered the favourites to land the forward, while Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan are other options.

However, Farre has assured fans that he will be able to convince Messi to put pen to paper on fresh terms should he win the race to succeed Josep Maria Bartomeu as president.

“I am working on the issue,” he told reporters. “Messi is part of the club and both his and Barca’s image have to be united forever.

“He is the best player in the history of football and we have to offer him an exciting project.

“We will be capable of motivating him and, the day after becoming president, I hope to have him renewed.

“Leo is a Cule and is waiting for a new board to see what project he’s offered. What he wants is to be sold a dream, he needs that, and right now, not just the team, the club is sad and we need to give it a new impulse.”

The presidential elections are scheduled to take place in January, with Victor Font and Joan Laporta also in the running.