Andres Iniesta on Barcelona future: 'I am not saying if I am going to renew or not'

Andres Iniesta on Barcelona future: 'I am not saying if I am going to renew or not' [ad_1]

Luis Enrique says early season home form cost Barcelona the La Liga title.

Gab Marcotti assesses Barcelona's current squad and discusses the areas they need to bolster ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

Luis Enrique only has two more matches at the helm for Barcelona, but says he will be at Camp Nou as a fan next season.

Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has been arrested following an investigation for money-laundering.

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta has once again refused to rule out leaving the club when his contract expires next summer but if he does it won't be on bad terms.

Iniesta, 33, is entering the final year of his contract and has said throughout the last few months that he is in no rush to sit down and agree a renewal.

It's led to speculation that he could leave Camp Nou in 2018 and this week he was linked with a move to Juventus, who have benefitted from signing experienced players like Andrea Pirlo and Dani Alves in recent years.

"My intention is, at least, to finish the contract that I have and that's what I want to do," Iniesta, who has been at Barca for 21 years, told RAC1.

"Beyond that, there are always possibilities. It's a question of assessing everything. I am not saying if I am going to renew or not.

"I've reached this situation conditioned by how the season has gone, how things have moved and I have learned to assess things.

"I already said a few weeks ago that the moment I have to leave [Barca], it will not end in confrontation between Iniesta and the club. We will always look for what is best for everyone."

Andres Iniesta is coming toward the end of his playing career.

Doubts about Iniesta's long-term future first came about in March when he said he would not stay at Barcelona just for the sake of it and would consider leaving if he no longer felt important to the first team.

The Spain international has been an ever-present in Luis Enrique's side for the big games this season but has been increasingly left out at other times.

On top of that his form has suffered due to a number of injury problems and he ended the campaign having started just 13 La Liga games.

By the end of next season he will be 34 and whether he stays at the club beyond the end of his contract may be conditioned by how often he plays and what his role is under Luis Enrique's successor, who is reported to be Ernesto Valverde.

Iniesta is closing in on 700 career appearances and many have tipped him to retire at Barca, where he has amassed a staggering 28 trophies.

However, the same was said of former teammate Xavi Hernandez, who left the club for Qatar in 2015 at the age of 35 having become a bit-part player in Luis Enrique's team following the signing of Ivan Rakitic.

Samuel Marsden covers Barcelona for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @SamuelMarsden.

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