Barcelona plan new deal for Lionel Messi?

The Argentina legend is known for - if nothing else - his measured temperament and utter refusal to engage in controversial behaviour.

They aren't in a major rush to get the Barca skipper to sign on the dotted line just yet and will likely wait until next season before talks begin.

He will essentially say anything about absolutely anything if he feels like it will make headlines and you know what?

Diego Maradona lampooned Lionel Messi for using "the bathroom 20 times before a game" and suggested the Argentina star stay in the global wilderness.

"He does ask for it on the pitch, but before speaking to teammates he'll go and play the Playstation" Maradona said of Messi in an interview with Mexican programme "La Ultima Palabra".

Messi reportedly earns over £100million a year as a Barcelona player and is the best paid footballer in the world.

He said that the Barcelona forward "goes to the toilet 20 times a game".

But as part of the same story, the Catalan outlet report that there is a rather odd clause in Messi's Barcelona deal that allows him to leave on a free transfer in 2020 - as long as it is a non-elite team.

'Don't worship Messi anymore.

Messi and Guardiola worked together at Barcelona, enjoying incredible success by winning the Champions League twice and La Liga three times in a row.

"I wouldn't call him up right now, but never say never", he said.

"You have to take the pressure off him in order to get the leader we want Messi to be, that he will not be".