Paper talk: Messi throws Barcelona future into doubt, Dybala’s contract extension with Juve imminent

No secret that Barcelona are not going through the best moment of their season. Over the last few days they’ve almost binned their chances to win the LaLiga title and the Champions League scoring no goals and conceding five in the last two games against Malaga and Juventus.

Today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport reports the blaugrana are also dealing with another huge problem which is the contract extension of Lionel Messi. New contract talks are slowly ongoing and there is still no agreement between the player and his club.
Messi has just 14 months left in his contract with the club and is not on good terms with both Luis Enrique and the club’s board. The Spanish manager, however, will leave the Nou Camp at the end of the season, but that may not be enough to persuade Messi to stay at the club.

​Barcelona executives hope the player will eventually sign a new deal but at the moment there are no news regarding the contract extension of one of the best players on the world who could leave Barcelona for free once his contract expires in June 2018.

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Meantime, one of Messi’s potential heirs, Paulo Dybala will sign a contract extension with Juventus. According to Tuttosport, the player will extend his stay at the J Stadium until 2022 becoming the second biggest earner at the club after Gonzalo Higuain.

Dybala’s new salary will be in the region of € 7 million-a-year and an agreement between the two parties has been found since very long time. An official announcement should be released over the next few hours, probably today. Dybala is reported to be willing to stay at Juventus for very long time and the imminent announcement of his contract extension proofs La Joya wants to commit his future to the Old Lady.

AND THE REST

Torino have rejected Chelsea’s € 60 million bid for Andrea Belotti (Tuttosport)
Silvio Berlusconi is set to step down as AC Milan president as the decisive meeting for the club’s sale will be held today (various)

Fiorentina star Federico Bernardeschi is going to refuse a contract extension offer. Many top European clubs are being linked with the Italian including Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Inter and Juventus (Gazzetta)

​Barcelona offered €75 million to sign Dybala last summer (Gazzetta)

​Juventus boss Allegri wants to sign a contract extension with the club but has demanded a pay rise on his current € 5 million-a-year salary and a two more year on top of his current deal (Gazzetta)

But reports in England claim Arsenal have been in talks with the Italian manager over the last week (The Sun)