Lionel Messi’s contract renewal an issue for Barcelona as they cannot afford to improve £800,000-a-week wages

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner is best-paid player on planet, and club must discover other routes to entice his signature

BARCELONA have some concerns over the future of Lionel Messi, according to reports in Spain.

The Argentina superstar has just 18 months left on his current deal.

Neymar, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets all recently extended their new contracts.

However, AS report the situation is a little more complicated with regards to Messi, with restrictions imposed on the club by the Financial Fair Play regulations.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is currently costing the club staggering £800,000-a-week — and Barcelona, unsurprisingly, cannot afford to increase his wages.

Their tactic has been to explore other options in order to entice the best player on the planet to stay at the Nou Camp.

President Josep Maria Bartomeu recently said: “We cannot renew at whatever price.

“We need to improve the conditions of the player, while thinking about sustainability.

“We are a little above the 65 per cent maximum which is advised, but the reality is we cannot allow it.

“We do not have unlimited resources and this is a worrying factory.

“If the entire salary is very high, it is stagnating the growth of the entire club.”

Spain’s biggest clubs have recently been forced to offer their top stars improved contracts in order to fend off the money on offer in the Premier League.