Lionel Messi will depart Barcelona after the club failed to reach an agreement over a new contract with the player due to their financial issues.
Lionel Messi has sent shocking waves around the globe after he said he will not continue to play for Barcelona after the club failed to negotiate his contract.
The 34-year-old's contract got expired on 30th June 2021 and since then he has been a free agent. However, Barcelona were confident that Lionel Messi will put the pen to paper and sign another 5-year contract which would be seen his salary reduced by 50 percent.
Why Barcelona couldn’t meet Messi's salary?
Barcelona has been in abysmal debt since the Covid-19 pandemic which rocked the entire world. The Catalans endured the worst season of 2019-2020 in their football history, an 8-2 mauling from Bayern and Messi hinting to leave Barcelona. However, he was obliged to stay at the club.
Barcelona struggled to nullify their wage bills and told their highest-paid players to reduce their salaries by 40 percent.
Barca tried selling high earners at the club which are, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho, Samuel Umtiti, and Martin Braithwaite, but couldn’t find a suitable club for them.
It has been revealed that Barcelona has been over €1 billion ($1.2 billion) debt, which made their life difficult to sign new players and failed negotiations.
Lionel Messi is one of the highest earners at Barcelona and the reason being Messi’s issues was his contract was stopped by the La Liga president Javier Tebas due to his behemoth salary, which allowed the club to not agree on a deal with the 34-year-old.
In 2019 Barcelona had a salary limit of €671m (£577m/$796m). After the Pandemic and mishandling of the club by former Josep Maria Bartomeu, that figure plunged to €348m (£299m/$413m).
As we all know Messi is one of the greatest players and has been instrumental for the club. Being the top footballer over the decades. Indeed, he will get a status as the highest-paid footballer in the world, so the La Liga giants will do anything to keep him at the club over the next two seasons.
Not only Messi’s future but others as well, Eric Garcia, Memphis Depay, Emerson, and Sergio Aguero c who are yet to be registered with the club, before Barcelona move their fringe players out to balance their wage bill.
What’s next for Lionel Messi now?
Lionel Messi has been called a one-club man because of his commitment to Barcelona over the decades, having scored a whopping 672 goals in 778 appearances.
Barcelona were bracing to table a new contract for Lionel Messi during the summer. However, this couldn’t materialize because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).
"As a result of this situation, Lionel Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
"FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life." - FC Barcelona official statement
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