In an exclusive interview with the Telegraph in October, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu appeared confident of retaining Messi's long-term services.

"Right now Leo Messi has a contract to the end of the Russian World Cup [in 2018] and we are very happy with him. Very happy," Bartomeu told Jason Burt.

"I don’t know what will happen in the future but of course we will always try to explain to him that he is at the best club in the world and this is the best place for him to live and he is living the best experience of his life with us.