Lionel Messi will not sign new contract with Barcelona and will instead see out his current deal before deciding whether or not to renew.

The sensational claims come from Marca, who say that Messi's current deal until 2018 will be seen out before the player decides if he wishes to stay at the club.

Messi reportedly told Barcelona of his decision in July while he was spending time with his family on holiday.

The report from Marca goes on to say Messi's brush with the Spanish tax authorities is one of the main reasons he is stalling on any new deal.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has gone on record saying he was confident the player would stay on.

Right now Leo Messi has a contract to the end of the Russian World Cup [in 2018] and we are very happy with him. Very happy," said Bartomeu, speaking to The Telegraph.

He continued, "I don’t know what will happen in the future but of course we will always try to explain to him that he is at the best club in the world and this is the best place for him to live and he is living the best experience of his life with us."

Barcelona are currently second in LaLiga, trailing great rivals Real Madrid by two points.