Messi has ‘never been further from renewing his Barcelona contract’

Lionel Messi 'Has Never Been Further Away' From Renewing His Contract With Barcelona

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner's deal at the Nou Camp expired on June 30 and he became a free agent, though it was widely believed that negotiations in regards to a renewal were progressing well.

However, MARCA are now reporting that there has been an unexpected halt to proceedings and that "negotiations have reached a point of no return which seems impossible to resolve".

A five-year deal had been on the table for the 34-year-old, yet it's said Messi "has never been further away" from extending his stay at the Nou Camp.

The shock news comes following a meeting between Barcelona chiefs and Messi's representatives on Thursday.