Messi Contract Saga Nearing 

This week could see Barcelona and Leo Messi sign the player's new contract, with the two sides all set to hold one last meeting to dot the i's and cross the t's. The Catalan club have been waiting for Jorge Messi to return from Argentina to schedule the meeting.

With no other commitments on the horizon, the player's father and Josep Maria Bartomeu will sign a deal which will see Leo Messi's wages significantly increased, making him the highest paid footballer in the world. The striker currently receives a net sum of 16 million including bonuses.

With this move Barcelona will drastically increase the player's pay packet. After a long tug of war, the basics of the deal have now been thrashed out. The biggest stumbling block for both sides was the amount the star should receive in bonuses every year. This has now been overcome and the deal could be made public sometime this week.

It is worth bearing in mind that Barcelona do not want the issue to drag on and that renewing the Argentine's contract is the best way to put paid to the rumours about a possible departure that have been rife this season.

There is also a possibility the agreement may run for one further season. Messi's current contract expires on 30th June 2018.