Messi's Time At Barcelona Is Nearing An End
(Photo by Manu Fernandez/Getty Images) via Forbes
Lionel Messi and Barcelona plan to take legal action against the Spanish newspaper El Mundo after the details of Messi’s record-breaking contract from 2017 were leaked.
When I say record breaking, I mean it. From 2017 until June 30 of this year, the Barcelona star was set to rake in up to $674 million in salary and additional incentives. Assuming El Mundo’s information is accurate, this would mean Messi signed the largest contract in the history of any sport worldwide. Sheesh.
Not only did El Mundo leak private documents without the club or player’s permission, they slandered Messi’s name in their report as well, using words such as “ruin” to describe his relationship with the club. I’m sure you can see why this would be somewhat of an issue for the Argentinian considering he has dedicated his entire professional career to the Catalan Club.
Sure, $674 million is a metric shit-ton of money, but the media seems to forget Messi volunteered to take a pay cut once the COVID-19 pandemic hit and did not achieve a few of the bonus incentives, so he won’t receive the full 673 mil.
The fact that El Mundo claimed Messi is responsible for Barcelona’s financial struggles is preposterous. Not paying Messi a massive deal like the one he signed in 2017 would be like taking LeBron James and Anthony Davis off their max contracts in the NBA -- it just doesn’t make sense for either party involved.
If anyone deserves a massive contract like that, it’s Lionel Messi. He has dedicated his life to his boyhood club and done more for Spanish football than any athlete in recent history. Just because El Mundo did, don’t get things twisted. Messi is one of, if not the greatest athlete in the world simply collecting his hard-earned paycheck for doing his job. Nothing more. He isn’t an evil genius looking to screw over his club for a bigger payday, he is a footballer. A damn good one at that.
Of course Barcelona is denying having anything to do with the leaking of the documents and are supporting Messi in taking legal action, but come on. From my perspective, this HAS to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, right? The issues between Barcelona’s board of directors and Messi have been going on for far too long now, and it seems like Messi is done being treated as if all the club’s problems are his fault.
The entire shitstorm that derived from the documents being leaked raises questions regarding Messi’s future with Barcelona. Should he stay? No. Will he stay? For his sake, I hope not.
Personally if I was Lionel Messi, I would be dog tired of all this bullshit in the media and within Barcelona’s board of directors speaking out against him, it’s all absurd. I’m surprised he’s put up with it for as long as he has. Then again, I’d put up with just about anything if I was making over $150 million a year.
It would be a bittersweet goodbye considering Messi has been with Barcelona since he was 13, but sometimes great things must come to an end. With retirement looming in the next few years, now seems like the perfect time for Messi to test his strength in another league.
At this point in Messi’s contract, he can legally sign a pre-negotiation with any club of his choice. If you thought his transfer rumors were a hot topic last transfer window, strap in, we’ve got a crazy summer window ahead of us.
Signing a player of Messi’s caliber is a very, very expensive task, so only a few clubs are in contention. PSG, Manchester City, and New York City FC are the clubs rumored to be most interested in signing the Argentinian forward.
Right off the bat, a move to PSG would be bonkers. I’m talking about breaking the internet caliber bonkers here. PSG bought Neymar from Barcelona back in 2017 for the current world record of $263 million, so imagine what the price tag on Messi would be.
If Messi wound up signing for PSG (big if), there is no chance in hell they can afford their current roster with Messi as an addition. I’d assume a couple other big-name players would be leaving to make room for Messi, but PSG’s board of directors would do everything in their power to reunite Neymar with Messi.
As weird as it would be to see Messi in a PSG uniform, I would kill to see him play alongside Neymar again. Their chemistry was off the charts when they played together in Spain. The only downside is playing in Ligue 1 is a massive downgrade of competition compared to La Liga. Messi and Neymar would rip through the farmers league winning by an average of 5-0.
Moving on to Manchester City, this is the move that makes the most sense to me. Could you imagine watching Messi play in the premier league? THE SCENES.
Manchester City are known for their extensive spending in the transfer market, so they’d likely be able to afford such a move. If Messi went to Man. City, he would be reuniting with his former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola whom he has a fantastic relationship with. Messi thrived under Guardiola in the past, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if a reunion was in the midst.
From 2008-2012, when Guardiola managed Barcelona, the duo won an impressive three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues. It’s safe to say Messi was happy playing under a manager of Guardiola’s caliber. Any world-class player would.
As an Arsenal fan myself, having to face a Messi-led Man. City team at least twice a year would be a daunting task. The Citizens are already a powerhouse in the Premier League, but if they manage to bring in Messi they’d become a dynasty.
Last but not least, Messi has been linked with a move to the MLS, specifically New York City FC. I don’t think this is a likely option just yet, but finishing a legendary career touring America seems to be the hot new trend. David Beckham did it with LA Galaxy, Wayne Rooney did it with DC United, Bastian Schweinsteiger did it with the Chicago Fire, so could Messi be the next big-name star to sell out American stadiums? I sure hope so.
I speak for a large sum of American soccer fans when I say I’d be ecstatic to see Messi play in the MLS. We all know the MLS is far inferior compared to the European leagues, so having a name as big as Lionel Messi would be huge for popularizing the game in the states. When David Beckham came to LA Galaxy, he took America by storm. I can only imagine the impact Messi would have here.
Wherever Messi ends up, I’m looking forward to seeing him conquer another league. The greatest footballer of all time has had one hell of a career, and he ain’t done yet.