- Barcelona president details payments
- Messi left in 2021, failed to re-join in 2023
- Now an Inter Miami player
WHAT HAPPENED? Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that the club are still contracted to pay money to Messi for another two years. That is despite Messi – now an Inter Miami player – leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021, and being unable to seal a return to the Camp Nou this summer.
WHY ARE BARCELONA STILL PAYING MESSI? In an interview with Spanish radio’s Cadena SER when discussing how Barca missed out on a reunion with Messi, Laporta was asked if the club still owed money to the player and said 'everything is agreed with him'. The club's financial difficulties ensured they couldn't offer Messi a contract this summer.
But now he's added to those comments, clarifying the situation: “[Do] we owe any money to Messi? The only thing we owe are the salary deferrals that were agreed with the previous board of the club. This is producing pending payments that will come to an end in 2025. We are paying everything religiously.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty/GOAL
Getty/GOAL
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE: It all adds up to a lucrative situation for Messi, who is also being paid by Saudi Arabian authorities for commercial appearances despite declining a move to a Saudi Pro League club when leaving Paris Saint-Germain. Instead, he signed a contract said to be worth between $125m-$150m (£100m-£120m) with Inter Miami that lasts for two-and-a-half years.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR MESSI? With his PSG contract now officially expired (as of June 30), Messi is an Inter Miami player and the Leagues Cup home game against Cruz Azul on July 21 could be his first outing for his new club.
