Barcelona plan BRUTAL cuts to help land Messi

Stuart Telford

• 5 May 2023 16:17 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona are pulling out all the stops to bring Lionel Messi back to the club this summer, with Spanish newspaper sport describing the cuts as a 'war economy'

Barca and Messi are closing on a reunion. The club legend looks to have played his final game for Paris Saint-Germain having taken an unsanctioned holiday to Saudi Arabia, and his long-time employers have made no secret about their desire to bring him back.

There is a significant financial hurdle for Barca, though. While their €25 million a year offer to the Argentine is four times less than his last contract at Camp Nou - even if a significant percentage of his shirt sales are part if the deal - it is still prohibitively expensive for the club as things stand.

READ: Messi ready to QUIT PSG and terminate contract

La Liga have told Barcelona to reduce their debt by €200m if they want to take part next season in a competition they lead Real Madrid by 13 points in this.

And player sales is just one way in which they will raise the necessary capital, with Sport reporting the almost everyone at the club is set to feel the pinch, with five 'provisions' outlined:

Drastic measures

"Reducing the salaries of the first team, reducing the cost of the whole professional section including youth football, reducing operational costs, also the non-sporting payrolls and, finally, activating new revenue streams."

READ: Lionel Messi makes TWO Barcelona demands

Barca also have professional teams for women's football, futsal, basketball, handball and roller hockey, and Sport's report concludes that "All Barcelona departments, in fact, are already being affected by this 'war economy.'"

As well as funding a deal for Messi, Barca also hope that La Liga will be sufficiently satisfied with their financial plan that they can register new contracts for Gavi, Ronald Araujo, Sergi Roberto and Alejandre Balde.