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Barcelona vice president assures fans Messi will sign new deal

REUTERS/Juan Medina

Barcelona vice president Jordi Mestre insists Lionel Messi won't make a U-turn over renewing his contract until 2021.

The fleet-footed Argentinian reached an agreement over fresh terms in early July, and was expected to scribble on the necessary paperwork "in the coming weeks" after that news broke.

He's yet to do so, however, prompting fears in the Blaugrana support that Messi is unimpressed with the summer's transfer dealings - which include Neymar's €222-million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain - and would potentially consider his own move away.

Related: 4 reasons Barcelona could be in for some lean years

"Everything has been spoken about and agreed - all that's missing is the date for the official signature," said Mestre, according to The Sun's Andrew Richardson.

"Everything is ready, we are carrying on as normal. We just need to be patient."

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Mestre infamously stated that he was "200 percent" certain Neymar would stay at Barcelona, 16 days before he shifted to the French capital. While he was careful not to make such a bold declaration over Messi's future, he tried to show confidence over the talisman's unsigned deal.

"In terms of Messi, we have been working for a long time, it looks good and it would surprise me if we didn't get it over the line," he said.

Following another summer of questionable transfer business in Catalonia, Barcelona is set to take to the pitch against Real Betis on Sunday with a depleted frontline. Neymar's shock departure was compounded further by an injury suffered by Luis Suarez in the Supercopa de Espana second-leg defeat to archnemesis Real Madrid on Wednesday.

At new manager Ernesto Valverde's disposal in a three-pronged attack is currently Messi, Paco Alcacer, Gerard Deulofeu, Munir El Haddadi, who underwhelmed on loan at Valencia last season, and Arda Turan.

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