Barcelona still owe Lionel Messi €52 million despite PSG move

Martin Macdonald

• 13 Aug 2021 13:41 BST
• 6 min read

Some more light has been shed on Barcelona's terrible financial situation after news emerged that the club still owe Lionel Messi as much as €52 million in unpaid wages despite the Argentine's move to Paris Saint-Germain.

During the pandemic, now-exiled president Josep Maria Bartomeu met with the first team squad and informed them that salaries would be deferred to a later date to enable the club to recover from the financial impact of having no fans in Camp Nou.

In Messi's case, these deferred wages, including a loyalty bonus, amount to €52m.

Lawyer's from both parties are negotiating over how these payments will be made, but Barcelona are aiming to complete them by the end of 2022.

Spanish outlet Sport and sources from within Barcelona have confirmed that the amount mentioned above is accurate.

Why did Messi leave Barcelona?

The Blaugrana's financial state means that these players have not yet been registered to play in La Liga.

New regulations stipulated by La Liga state that club's will not be allowed to spend more than 70% of their annual turnover on player wages.

At the moment, Barcelona's wage bill stands at around 95% of their current turnover, meaning that will need to be drastically reduced.

Until cuts are made, no new signing will be allowed to be registered for the Spanish top flight.

This is the reason Lionel Messi has ultimately joined Paris Saint-Germain, as even though the Argentine agreed a new five-year deal to remain at Camp Nou, he would count as a new signing as his previous contract expired in June.

On Messi's previous deal, Barcelona's wage bill was around 110% of their turnover.

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Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Emerson Royal have been signed this summer but not registered yet.

During Messi's last press conference as an affiliated Barcelona player, he revealed that he never intended to leave the club, saying:

"Last year I wanted to leave but this year I didn’t and that is why I am so sad. I have been here my entire life, I am not ready for this and after a few days I still can't think of anything to say.

"I did everything I could to stay and it was not possible. I cannot say more than that. We did everything we could.

"This is the most difficult moment of my career, no doubt.

"I’ve had many difficult, hard moments, many defeats, but then you could return to train and get revenge.

"Now I cannot return, my time at this club is over. So it is the most difficult moment, yes.

"I feel very sad as I have to leave this club, a club I love, in a moment I did not expect. I never lie, I have always been up front, told the truth. I did not want to leave.

"These have been a sad few days, as it all sinks in. When I get home now, it will be even worse. But I need to be close to my family, those I love, and keep playing football, what I most love to do.

"Once I start, all this will start to pass.

"I had lowered my salary by 50%, agreed that, and [Barca] did not ask me for anything else after that. Many things are said like I asked for a pay rise which are not true.

"The talks stopped as Barca did not want to go on, they knew La Liga would not let it happen, it was impossible. And I had to look to continue my career too, what I would do from now.

"Everyone was clear that I would continue, it was all sorted and I have never tricked the fans."