Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta Will Sign Barcelona Deals, Says Robert Fernandez

Barcelona’s sporting director Robert Fernandez has insisted that both Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta will sign new contracts at the club. 

The two key men have just over a season to run on their current terms, with their deals set to expire at the end of the 2017-18 season. That’s triggered some nervousness in the Blaugrana fanbase about possible exits, although Fernandez has insisted there’s nothing to be concerned about, per Cadena Ser (h/t Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror):

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[Messi] will renew, as I've always said. He is happy in Barcelona, he feels comfortable in the team and the environment is perfect. I don't have any doubt [that he'll sign a new deal]. Looking into his eyes I see that he is happy at Barcelona.

I don't want to speak too much, though, as I know that there are many repercussions with this topic.

[Iniesta] will also renew and he'll do it in his own time. I have no doubt that he'll renew and neither does he.

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Recent reports have suggested that despite their longstanding ties to the Camp Nou club, teams are targeting the iconic duo.

According to Neil Fissler of the Sunday Express, Manchester City want to bring Messi to the Etihad Stadium, with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola a massive fan. Juan Jimenez of AS reported that Iniesta has been the subject of interest from the Chinese Super League, although a €35 million (£30.5 million) contract was snubbed.

While Barcelona fans will be delighted to hear the club are confident these two legendary players will stay, they’ll want to see something tangible from the football club to back up these words. After all, speculation will become frenzied if the pair do end up having less than a year to run.

Both are so important to the football club, after all. As noted by the Laureus Twitter feed, Messi is a guarantee of goals every season:

Indeed, the 29-year-old continues to find ways of having a massive influence on football matches. He may not possess the dynamism he had when he first burst onto the scene in Barcelona colours, but Messi is still sharp in the final third, able to shimmy past challenges, pick passes and score goals.

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Iniesta also remains a crucial part of the Barcelona setup. Now 32, he is arguably the wrong side of his peak years and injuries have slowly started to puncture his playing time. But when he’s on the field, the playmaker is still the Blaugrana’s conductor.

As noted by journalist Musa Okwonga recently, the veteran is one of those players who makes the game look easy:

Aside from their influence on the field, it’s imperative Barcelona keep the two men at the club for other reasons too. Not only are they both genuine legends of the game, their faces are emblazoned around the Camp Nou and across the Catalan city. They’ve become synonymous with Barcelona itself.

They also epitomise the ideologies of the football club. Both honed their skills in La Masia, were given a chance in the first team at a young age and have gone on to inspire the senior side to incredible success.