Messi to stay under Koeman

Lionel Messi will be the lynchpin of a Barcelona side coached by Ronald Koeman next season, the club’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said.

Bartomeu ruled out the possibility of the Argentinian star – out of contract next summer – leaving the Nou Camp as he confirmed their intention to appoint Koeman as the successor to Quique Setien, though that deal is not yet finalised.

“I have spoken with Koeman and the pillar of our project is Messi,” Bartomeu said. “He has a contract until 2021, I speak a lot with Leo and more regularly with his father.

“He is number one in the world. There is no doubt that in Koeman’s new project you can count on Messi.”

Messi has been a star for Barca for more than a decade, scoring 631 goals in 734 appearances.