Barca offered to pay Messi 27 million USD per season

The Camp Nou team offers to pay 27 million USD per season to convince striker Lionel Messi to return for free in the summer of 2023, according to Catalonia newspaper Diario Sport.

Recently, Barca has been researching options to register Messi with La Liga organizers, as well as preparing for the Argentine star’s return to Camp Nou this summer.

Diario Sport ‘s source emphasized that Barca is confident that it can meet Messi ‘s requirements after meeting with relevant parties. Accordingly, they can offer a salary equal to a quarter of his income in the 2020-2021 season, the last season he played for the club before joining PSG. At that time, the Argentine star earned a salary of about 110 million USD.

The contract between Messi and Barca can last until June 2025. However, the 35-year-old star has the option to resign from his contract in the summer of 2024, or continue playing until it expires.

Messi played 778 matches and scored 672 goals in 17 years with Barca’s first team from 2004 to 2021. Photo: AFP

Diario Sport also emphasized that for this deal to go through, Barca will have to reduce the club’s salary fund and improve finances by selling players or reducing salaries. Barca is said to be looking for a number of sponsorship partners to support this deal. These investors can cover most of the salary costs for Barca to recruit Messi. In return, they will be committed to sharing profits from commercial activities that the Argentine star creates.

On April 19, La Liga President Javier Tebas said Barca cannot sign a contract with Messi in the current context, and is waiting for a feasible plan from the Camp Nou owner for financial issues next season. Tebas hopes Barca can make the necessary moves to re-sign Messi, but affirms that La Liga will not change any rules to benefit this deal. “Everything is complicated, but I think Barca is capable of doing it,” Tebas said.

Earlier this week, journalist Adrian Sanchez, who specializes in reporting on Barca, revealed that Messi had reserved his children at the old school in Barcelona that they attended, before the whole family moved to Paris from August 2021. Sanchez emphasized that this is a factor that can determine the Argentine star’s future, and shows that Messi always wants to return to Barcelona.

After moving to PSG in the summer of 2021, Messi and his wife Antonella still reserved their children’s places at their old school in Barcelona. Photo: Instagram / antonella

Last week, close Barca reporter Gerard Romero also revealed that the owner of Camp Nou had submitted a plan to La Liga to bring Messi back, but the league leader rejected some points in this proposal. However, Barca is preparing to come up with a new plan.

Barca President Joan Laporta is also optimistic that the home team will sign a contract with superstar Lionel Messi in the summer of 2023. Vice President Rafa Yuste admitted to working with the Argentine star on the possibility of the two sides reuniting. Coach Xavi also affirmed that he is always open to welcoming his former teammates.