Lionel Messi: Barcelona plan special contract for Argentine hitman

- Lionel Messi is a few steps to signing a new contract with Barcelona

- The Argentine may be handed a special contract which looks like that of Iniesta

- Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu, however, wanted Messi to become a one-club like Pele

Lionel Messi is reportedly close to signing a new contract with Barcelona which will tie him with the club till he retires or decides to change his mind.

The Argentine has played his entire club career with the Catalans since joining them as a teenager, with his first goal coming against Albacete in 2004/05 campaign.

He would later rise through the rank to become Barcelona's record goalscorer, winning a total number of 34 titles while continuing to don Barcelona jersey.

Amid speculation surrounding his future with the Camp Nou outfits, Messi is expected to sign a new deal that will see him take the path of Andres Iniesta.

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Iniesta, towards the end of his career with the Catalans, signed a contract that renewed automatically every year till he departed to Japanese league.

The Barcelona hitman is believed will take to the Iniesta way when his current contract expires in 2021.

Messi's Camp Nou future has set in worries within Barcelona's hierarchy and recently, club president Josep Bartomeu admitted he was worried over the fear of losing club superstar Lionel Messi to retirement in the future.

''I am worried about the day Messi retires. I would like him to sign another contract. He still has time ahead of him, we've spoken many times about it,'' Bartomeu said.

Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo has now revealed that Messi will assent to a new contract which will make the Argentine a one-club man like Brazilian legend Pele, according to the Catalans president.

“In the next two or three seasons, our leader will continue to be Leo Messi. I always make a comparison with Pelé.

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''Pelé was a man from only one club [in Brazil]... [and] I have no doubt that after Messi ends his career as a footballer, he will remain linked to this club for the rest of his life,'' the club president further submitted.

Lionel Messi scored double as Barcelona decimated Leganes during a Copa dey Rey encounter on Thursday.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Quique Setien has questioned his players' mentality after Barcelona suffered an embarrassing 2-0 La Liga defeat to Valencia on Saturday, January 25 - the first loss for the new manager.

Barcelona were the favourites to win the game after a beautiful start but Maxi Gomez's second-half brace was the magic needed to condemn La Blaugrana to their fourth defeat in La Liga.

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