Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players to have ever played the round leather is said to end his current contract with Barcelona by June, 2021. The Argentine great, when he eventually parts way with the club would have earned over £500million from the contract he signed with Barcelona four seasons ago, making the deal the biggest in sports history, according to El Mundo.
The 33-year-old Messi, is gradually coming towards the end of his latest four-year deal at the Nou Camp.
And Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, reported the total value to be €555,237,619 – or £492m – after alleging to have obtained a copy of the 30-page confidential paperwork.
That is made up of a fixed salary, image rights, variables as well as the tax that Barcelona have had to pay and trumps NFL star Patrick Mahomes’ £402m deal with Kansas City Chiefs.
Messi’s bumper contract, therefore, is worth on average up to £123m per year with all the bonuses included.
One of those bonuses is said to be a £102m ‘renewal fee’ simply for signing on the dotted line in November 2017.
Missi also pockets an extra ‘loyalty bonus’ of £69m each year for staying at the club. But the Barcelona playmaker and a six- time Ballon d’Or winner tried to quit the club last summer by attempting to trigger a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for free.
But after threatening legal action, he made a dramatic U-turn to see out the final year of his contract.
He is, though, expected to leave after 20 years this summer with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City among the mega-rich clubs hoping to land the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Speaking in December, he admitted he still ‘doesn’t know’ what he would do at the end of the season.
Messi, who is currently free to talk to other clubs now, said: “I know there are a lot of people at Barca who still love me, but I’m going to do what is best for the club and for myself.
“Besides, I want to live in Barcelona and be involved in the club in some way when I retire.
“I don’t know if I’m going to leave, but if I do, I would like to leave in the best way possible and be able to return to the club in the future.
“Barcelona are much bigger than any player. I hope that every time the club have to, they will do good things to lift important titles.”
The leaked information regarding Messi’s contract comes just days after Barcelona’s financial report revealed debts of £1billion.
Which includes a short-term debt of £638m, £236m of which needs to be paid back to various banks and financial institutions before June 30.
There have also been a lot of accusations about Messi’s wages and how his ‘138 million euros’ wage bill is the primary cause for Barca’s heavy financial debt.
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Barcelona has however denied the publication and have promised to take a legal action against the Spanish newspaper El Mundo after it published details of the contract.
Messi, joined Barcelona at 13 but handed in a transfer request in August.
His contract runs out in the summer and there is uncertainty if he will remain with the club.
Barcelona in a statement said they: “FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document, and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.
“FC Barcelona expresses its absolute support for Lionel Messi, especially in the face of any attempt to discredit his image, and to damage his relationship with the entity where he has worked to become the best player in the world and in football history.”
Fans and football lovers are still not sure where Messi might move to, but his salary would likely be a determinant factor especially with the drop in revenue caused by the pandemic.
Messi has won a record six Ballon d’Or awards during his time at Barcelona, while helping the club win 10 Spanish league titles and four Champions League crowns.
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