Negotiations to renew Lionel Messi's contract with Barcelona hit a stumbling block on Thursday, but the club are still hopeful of tying him down to a new deal, multiple sources told ESPN.
Messi, 34, has been a free agent since his previous terms expired on June 30, but ESPN reported in June that a loose agreement over a five-year extension had been reached.
However, sources told ESPN that talks to finalise the deal have been left up in the air after a number of problems surfaced this week.
Former Germany midfielder Michael Ballack's 18-year-old son, Emilio, died in a quad-bike crash near Lisbon, Portugal, on Thursday, Setubal's emergency services said.