Lionel Messi has agreed on a five-year deal with Barcelona but will take a 50% pay cut to stay at Camp Nou until he is 39. The amount expected to be reduced due to this decision is £250,000 per week, which will help the club in its battle to achieve some form of financial stability.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta was always positive about the fact that Messi would stay at the club. He declared that money was not an issue for the player, and with the deal that has been agreed between the two parties, that has been proven.
Messi is currently on holiday after winning the Copa America with Argentina, his first piece of silverware with the national team. Once he returns from his time off, he will put pen to paper on the new deal and will once again be an official Barcelona player.
The Spanish club are trying their best to cut down costs and meet La Liga’s financial rules. Numerous fringe players like Francisco Trincao, Jean-Clair Todibo, Junior Firpo have already been released, along with Konrad de la Fuente. More names are expected to leave the club this summer as they prepare to rebuild.
New signings Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia, Memphis Depay and Emerson Royal will need room on the wage bill to be officially registered as Barcelona players. And with Messi’s cut-price contract, Barcelona can deal with the situation with much less pressure.
