Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle for Lionel Messi to sign a new five-year contract, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday, but that doesn't mean the club's problems are solved.
They still have a gross debt of €1.2 billion, and if La Liga started tomorrow, the 34-year-old club legend would not be able to play because Barcelona would be over their salary cap. Getting Messi to commit to terms that include a "significant pay cut" was one thing, but the club's biggest hurdle is making enough room on their wage bill to register him by the time the new season starts in one month.