Barcelona president provides update on Lionel Messi's contract situation 

Lionel Messi is currently a free agent and is yet to pen a new deal at Barcelona. The Argentine can join any club in the world, but the Catalan side are confident he will re-sign with them shortly.

Barcelona cannot register new players until they reduce their wage bill significantly. The Catalans have signed Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia, and Memphis Depay on free transfers and have offloaded Junior Firpo, Francisco Trincao, and Matheus Fernandes.

Tebas: "If there are no exits at Barça, they will not be able to register Messi."

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 8, 2021

But their wage bill is still above the limit set by La Liga and the club are actively working on loaning and selling some of their players.

When quizzed by Mundo Deportivo regarding Messi's contract situation, president Joan Laporta said he was satisfied with how the situation was progressing.

“[Lionel] Messi? The message is tranquillity and patience. At times, you have to play the game of marbles. All will be well. The professionals are doing a good job."

"We are very satisfied with how everything is progressing, but you already know that it’s a special market that requires patience and skill. But I believe that we we will be able to give good news as the summer advances.”

La Liga president refuses to help Barcelona register Lionel Messi

La Liga president Javier Tebas on Lionel Messi:🗣 "He won’t be able to sign with the same conditions of the former contract. That would be impossible."But I also don’t think any European club can pay that amount in his former contract, not just Barcelona." pic.twitter.com/kfAAxOW1kC

— Goal (@goal) July 9, 2021

Meanwhile, Javier Tebas has refused to bend the rules for Barcelona to register Messi. The president of La Liga has stated that the rules will remain the same for all the clubs with no exceptions.

"No, I won't [turn a blind eye] for Messi, it's impossible. There are many workers [at LaLiga] and in the economic control [department] as well," Tebas said. "This is a right that the clubs have and we have to safeguard the integrity of LaLiga."

"We often have to explain [the economic controls] to agents and players because they don't know about it or think clubs are deceiving them, and we've had to explain it in recent years."

Messi has reportedly agreed a five-year deal with Barcelona that will see his wages reduced by 50%.