Having the best in the world costs a lot, but not many could have imagined the amount of money Barcelona spent to keep Lionel Messi at Camp Nou. According to El Mundo (as per Sport), keeping La Pulga until 2021 has cost the club a whopping $414m.
The reason for this extravagant spending was a similar bid from Man City. With Leo’s old contract set to expire next summer, they offered him a $118m signing-on fee and a $59m annual salary. Although the Catalan giant knew Leo was leaning towards a stay, they felt they need to match City’s offer.
And so the Argentine was offered a $118m signing-on fee – a sum he earned by just putting pen to paper – which he will earn via a roughly $24m annual installment over the remaining five years of his new deal.
It doesn’t stop there. Messi will now be paid roughly $41m in salary annually by the club. The amount Barcelona will pay their iconic attacker annually – not including the signing-on fee – rises to approximately $59 when you factor in his image rights and the contract for his charity.
This means the 32-year-old earns $113,365 everyday under his new contract. The deal keeps him at Camp Nou, but at a hefty financial burden.
Valverde’s side will be in action on Tuesday, taking on Sporting Lisbon in their final group stage game of this Champions League season. It remains unclear whether Messi will start – he may be rested as the Blaugrana has already won their group.
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