Barcelona to build Messi museum to fund Argentine's return

Tom Weber

• Updated: 26 Apr 2023 15:49 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona are planning to activate another financial level - and it could be the weirdest one yet.

Necessity being the mother of invention is a truism that Barcelona appear to be taking to heart - and to the extreme. The club's much-publicised dire economic situation persists and this has seen them already resort to several 'financial levers' in order to alleviate the burden.

Nevertheless, the Blaugrana remain an ambitious club, and as such, they have big plans for the future. The Camp Nou is set to undergo wholesale renovations and the prodigal son, Lionel Messi, is supposed to return in the summer. Both undertakings are, however, in doubt due to the club being strapped for cash.

READ: Messi's ‘SCANDALOUS’ PSG demand provokes outrage in France

Indeed, in order to afford Messi and to comply with LaLiga's Financial Fair Play regulations for next season, Barcelona must lower their wage bill by some €200 million. To accomplish that, draconian pay cuts are reportedly planned for the entire playing squad.

New reports suggest that this controversial 'lever' will be augmented by another that will combine the Camp Nou renovations with Messi's return.

A Messi museum

As is being reported by the Spanish outlet AS, Barcelona are plotting to turn the old headquarters of their famous La Masia academy into a museum solely focused on Lionel Messi in the hopes that the revenue generated from tickets will help towards paying the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"Barça is in talks with Telefónica to turn La Masia into an interactive and immersive centre with Leo Messi as the protagonist," the paper claims.

"The 'Messi Space,'" the report goes on, "would be a world benchmark in the latest technologies and, according to the business plan, it will attract thousands of tourists and fans who would generate recurring income to balance the accounts for the hiring of the PSG player."

Though perhaps a bit strange, it is in keeping with Barcelona's plans to use Messi - or his brand - as a substantial revenue stream in the future.

READ: Barcelona back brand Messi to be bigger than Air Jordan

Indeed, recent reports out of Spain suggested that the Blaugrana are convinced that Messi's brand has the potential to be bigger than Air Jordan and that, if a move can be done, Messi alone would generate 25 to 33 per cent of next season's income for the club.