Josep Maria Bartomeu Readying Barcelona for 'The Future' Without Lionel Messi

A future without star player Lionel Messi is something La Liga giants Barcelona are already preparing for, according to Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The Camp Nou club's president told Guillem Balague on the 5 live Football Daily podcast (h/t BBC Sport): "My mandate will be finished in two seasons. So I need to leave the club in a great position and tell the new president, 'That's our legacy.'"

Leaving Barca in a position of strength come 2021 will naturally demand having equipped the squad to be less reliant on Messi. The classy No. 10 is now 31, and Bartomeu realises, "One day Lionel will say he's retiring."

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Getting ready for a day fans of Barcelona will understandably dread requires a definite strategy. Bartomeu described how adding more youth is the key: "We are bringing great young players to the team because we need to continue this era of success. That's our responsibility."

The process of getting younger has already begun with the impending arrival of Frenkie de Jong from Ajax. Barca paid £65.3 million to sign the versatile midfielder, who will officially complete his move to Spain in the summer.

Still just 21, De Jong is a burgeoning star who continues to wow audiences in the Eredivisie and beyond with his technique:

De Jong isn't the only precocious import Bartomeu has added recently. He also rubber-stamped a deal to bring 19-year-old Toulouse centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo over from Ligue 1.

Arthur Melo is a 22-year-old playmaker fast becoming a key member of the Barcelona midfield. Fellow Brazilian Malcom is also starting to adapt to life with the Blaugrana.

Malcom thrived during Wednesday's 1-1 draw against bitter rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg:

There's also the presence of Ousmane Dembele, who has the raw ability to become a star on the level of Messi. The latter has already backed the 21-year-old France international to become "one of the best" players in the world.

While Barca are putting together an enviable contingent of young talent, it's debatable whether any member of it could come close to offsetting the loss of Messi.

Barcelona have won four Champions League trophies since the artful Argentinian made his debut. The club is still heavily reliant on its all-time leading goalscorer, who has 29 goals and 17 assists to his credit in all competitions this season.

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Those contributions have Barca primed to retain La Liga's title. Yet enjoying the same success beyond the day the best player of his time calls it quits is the bigger challenge.

Bartomeu is smart to start planning for it now, even though no amount of preparation is likely to adequately replace Messi's once-in-a-generation talent.