Barcelona Transfer News: Lionel Messi Contract Talks Denied, Latest Rumours

Barcelona have not yet opened talks with Lionel Messi over a new contract but hope to have him tied down to a new deal early in 2017, according to club vice-president Jordi Mestre.

Speaking to Movistar Plus (h/t MailOnline's Adam Shergold), he said: "We haven't started negotiations for Messi's renewal, but after those of Neymar and Luis Suarez, we hope to finalise it in the first trimester of the year."

Per Shergold, the news follows reports in the Spanish press that the forward's father, Jorge Messi, had arrived at the Camp Nou to hold talks over a new contract.

As Squawka Football illustrated, the 29-year-old has had a sensational year, notching a goal and an assist in Sunday's 4-1 win over Espanyol:

His stunning performance—which also included an incredible dribble through the opposition's defence, leading to a goal from Luis Suarez—left many in awe, including former Argentina international Ossie Ardiles and Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez:

La Liga journalist Rik Sharma believed Messi's performance laid down another marker in the endless debate as to whether he or Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo is the superior player; that was made all the more impressive as Ronaldo netted a hat-trick on Sunday:

Messi is indeed perhaps the greatest to ever set foot on a football pitch, and he is vital to Barcelona's ambitions.

The Argentinian has just 18 months left on his current deal at the Camp Nou, so the sooner Barcelona can have his contract squared away, the better.

According to Shergold, his new contract will make him "the best-paid player on the planet once again," so it's likely Messi will put pen to paper and remain with the club he's been a part of since he was 13.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Meanwhile, per AS (via Football Espana), Valencia sporting director Suso Pitarch has said Joao Cancelo will not be joining the Blaugrana in January but could make no guarantees as to the summer:

"

Cancelo? Cancelo himself has told us he wants to stay. Joao is committed and doesn't want to leave. We're counting on all the players who want to be here.

I'm not Harry Potter and I don't have a magic wand to know what will happen in the summer. Joao is performing well in both a sporting and personal sense, his agent, too.

There was no pressure to accept the offers that came for him in summer and it's the same now.

"

Sergi Roberto has taken on Dani Alves' mantle at right-back admirably, but the Spaniard has had little cover this season.

Cancelo would be a strong choice to add to Barcelona's squad, and the 22-year-old still has room to develop his game further.

According to Squawka, the Portugal international has won 32 tackles and made 36 interceptions this season; going forward, he has completed 37 take-ons and created 12 chances.

Barca may well revisit the possibility of signing him in the summer, but in the meantime, they may yet cope without signing another right-back, after Aleix Vidal impressed against Borussia Monchengladbach earlier in December, his first game in three months for the club.

If Vidal can continue to take any chances given to him, he can provide cover until the end of the season.