Barcelona are set to hand Lionel Messi a contract extension - but they still have one eye on the future.
The iconic Argentinian turns 32 in June and Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu admits they are already preparing for a time they won't be able to call on his services.
But despite the challenge that will be posed by Messi's eventual retirement, Bartomeu insists they are in a strong position to move into a new era.
He has pinpointed five players as the men to lead the Catalan giants into the post-Messi era - namely Ousmane Dembele, Clement Lenglet, Arthur Melo, Frenkie De Jong and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
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Bartomeu told ESPN FC : "Maybe in three, four or five years, Leo Messi will say: 'OK, I am going to stop playing football.'
"So we are preparing our club for the future, for the time post-Leo. Because we would like to still be the top club at that time. So, it's a way of working, of investing, also of taking risks.
"We invest in young players, on homegrown players from La Masia, but also on bringing players from other clubs, just to keep this level of excellence.
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"Sometimes I explain to members of the club and the board, what we are doing is bringing right now very young players to the club.
"Young players that we think are very talented: [Clement] Lenglet, Ousmane Dembele, Arthur Melo, Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is still very young.
"There a lot of players that will continue playing after the Messi era."
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Ter Stegen is already an established member of Ernesto Valverde's side whilst Dembele, Arthur and Lenglet have demonstrated significant progress this season.
Ajax wonderkid de Jong will arrive in the summer and is being tipped to make a major impact at the Nou Camp.
