The Fans Football Blog3

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona plans to offer Barcelona central defender and Mexican international Rafael Márquez (29) a contract renewal.

Barcelona manager Guardiola considers Márquez to be a key player, one of those who can replace the coach on the pitch, and thinks there are no defenders like him available on the market.

Barcelona would therefore be considering to offer Márquez, whose current contract expires in 2010, an extension for two more years, until the summer of 2012.

Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia and other media confirm the intention of Barcelona to renew the Mexican defender, who joined Barcelona in 2003 when current Barcelona president Joan Laporta came to power.

Madrid sport tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain plans to renew Márquez until 2014, and minimum until 2012, and wants to offer the player comparable contract conditions as those of his centre back companion Puyol.

Begiristain made already a first informal contact on the renewal and now wants to start negotiating with the player's agent from next week on. It's assumed that Márquez also has the intention to stay longer with the club (read more here).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the wish of Márquez to end his career at Barcelona will make the renewal talks with the Mexican central defender easier.

Read more:
Marquez wants to renew until 2012
Marquez could move to Miami in 2010
Marquez wants renewal before returning home