Barcelona are keen to agree a new Lionel Messi contract within the coming week.
Messi remains a free agent as things stand after his Barca contract was allowed to expire in early July.
But it has been known for some time that the Argentine is keen to extend his 21-year stay at the club.
The terms of a new contract have been loosely agreed with the latest reports suggesting it will be a five-year deal with a 50% pay cut initially, though much of that will be made up on the back-end due to various clauses and the promise of an ambassadorial role once Messi has hung up his boots.
Despite that agreement of sorts, Barcelona remain unable to register Messi’s contract, or indeed those of their four new signings, until they bring their salary below the La Liga cap.
And that is an ongoing process with the club in talks with senior players over reducing their salaries, while also looking to sell a number of players.
In the meantime, Barcelona are aiming to reach a full agreement within a week with Messi, hoping to announce the deal towards the end of the next seven days, according to Sport.
According to the report, terms have been loosely agreed but Messi’s camp are in the process of scrutinising the deal ahead of the Argentine superstar putting pen-to-paper.
Registering the contract with La Liga will have to come later, and Messi won’t be eligible to play competitively until that is done, but ‘confident’ of clearing enough money to allow that process to go ahead, for now, Barca are keen to get Messi tied down not too long after he returns to pre-season training on August 2.