Official: Lionel Messi Signs Bumper Contract Extension With Barcelona

Lionel Messi has signed a two-year contract extension to stay with Barcelona until 2016 in a deal that takes him back to being the club's top earner.

A statement on Barcelona's official website, www.fcbarcelona.cat, reads that Messi has "extended and improved" his contract with the club, which contains a minimum fee release clause of €250 million.

Reports from Spain also claim that he is now the best paid player in world football, earning between €10m-12m per season according to AS and Cadena Ser.

This takes him above Barcelona's summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who earns a reported €9.5m a year, as well as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka at Real Madrid.

Messi signed the deal earlier this afternoon alongside president Joan Laporta and a number of other members of the Barcelona hierarchy.

Coach Pep Guardiola was thrilled with the news, telling Cadena Ser that "Messi's renewal is massive news."