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BARCELONA. — Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed the club are getting ever closer to agreeing a deal to renew Lionel Messi’s contract.

Messi (34), is now a free agent, after both camps were unable to thrash out terms before his previous deal ran down on June 30.

He told Mago Pop in Spain, via Marca: “(Messi’s deal) is progressing adequately well.”

Having now finally won his first ever international trophy with Argentina, following the Copa America final triumph against Brazil, Messi will soon turn his attention to his uncertain club future.

With Barcelona currently consumed by an all-encompassing financial crisis, Messi has been coy over what lies ahead for him.

Ronald Koeman admitted recently that the dilemma is weighing on his mind, but he also expressed his belief that Laporta will be able to find a solution.

“Whenever an issue isn’t resolved, you have to be concerned,” Koeman told Spanish newspaper Marca at a charity golf tournament.

“But I have full confidence in our president to fix this issue; it’s very important for the club, but also for LaLiga, that the best player in the world remains and we all have to make an effort to ensure he continues with us.” Barcelona will have to make huge cuts to their wage bill because La Liga has its own Financial Fair Play rules, which limit what each club can spend on salaries. — Mailonline.