Barcelona can’t afford Lionel Messi’s new contract.

Barcelona are said to be struggling to find ways of convincing Lionel Messi to sign a new contract at the club as they can’t afford to increase his £800,000 per week salary.

The club have secured long-term deals for the likes of Neymar, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets recently, but Messi’s deal is now down to its final 18 months.

But Spanish publication AS is reporting that thanks to Financial Fair Play regulations Barca have hit a stumbling block with Messi as sanctions imposed on them have made negotiations difficult.

So instead this has forced them to look for other ways of sweetening the deal in order to make sure he remains at the Camp Nou for the foreseeable future.

Speaking about the negotiations, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed just how far away they are from convincing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to pen an extension.

“We cannot renew at whatever price,” he said.

“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.”