Messi officially signs new four-year contract with Barcelona

Lionel Messi has signed a new deal that will see him stay at the club until 2021.

The news was announced on Barcelona's official Twitter page, with Messi's official Twitter page also following up with a confirmation tweet soon after.

The new deal will see him earn an eye-watering £500,000 a week, with his release clause set at £262 million (€300 million).

The news puts an end to any speculation that suggested the Argentinian wanted to move away from Barcelona and try plying his trade in another league before he retires. This deal keeps him at the club until the age of 34 and will likely be one of the last, or even possibly the last contract he signs at Barcelona.

Messi was expected to sign the new contract only after returning from his honeymoon but the deal was done much sooner than expected. 

This is a huge boost for newly-appointed Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde, who is currently in the midst of rebuilding the club in an attempt to snatch the La Liga and Champions League titles back from Real Madrid.

The presence of Messi will be key in attracting the best players to be Nou Camp, as it previously did with Neymar and Luis Suarez. Valverde is believed to be interested in signing Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci and Borussia Dortmund winger Ousmane Dembele.