How much does it cost to retain the best player in the world?

Messi will play for Barca until 2021.

In order for Messi to play at Barcelona until the age of 34, the Catalan club will pay north of £200m over the next four seasons.

Barcelona have made a huge financial sacrifice to keep Messi at the Camp Nou. But who can blame them? The Argentine’s renewal is complete and has finally been made official.

A player who comes around once, at most twice, in a lifetime, Messi will be bound to Barcelona until 2021 and his buy-out clause will be of 300 million euros (£264m), though the latter is yet to be confirmed by the club.

Messi’s new salary will see him go up to £26 million per season, putting him on over £500,000 a week. This means the megastar will receive over £100 million in four years, with Barcelona having to pay at least £200m, before taxes.

Astronomical fees to achieve Barcelona’s main objective this summer: to keep the best player in the world and, according to many, the best in the history of the game.

SOURCE: BESOCCER

Sporting Tribune