Argentina’s Lionel Messi agrees to stay at Barcelona on a 5-years deal until 2026 which comes with reducing his wages to half of his previous salary.

Re-signing Messi was the principal summer target of new chairman Joan Laporta since he rain out of contract on June 30th at midnight.

Messi, 34, become a free agent after his contract – that reportedly paid him £123m a season – expired on 30 June.

He is on holiday after winning the Copa America and the finer details of the contract are yet to be finalized.

Messi had been linked with moves to Paris St-Germain and Manchester City, where he would be reunited with his former boss at Barcelona Pep Guardiola, as well as America’s Major League Soccer, which he has previously considered experiencing.

Messi is Barcelona’s record scorer with 672 goals and has won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Copa del Reys as well as claiming the Ballon d’Or on a record six occasions.