Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, who left Barcelona, leaves for the French club PSG. About relevant negotiations informs BBC. According to preliminary data, Messi will receive a signature bonus of 25 million euros, the same amount he will receive per year under a two-year contract. Perhaps a clause will be included in the contract obliging Leo to play at the 2022 World Cup if Argentina qualifies, writes Sports.ru.
Messi’s departure to PSG was confirmed by Barcelona president Joan Laporta. A year ago PSG planned to invest 500 million euros in Messi and take on long-term obligations, and now Leo gets the club much cheaper.
Earlier it became known that 34-year-old Lionel Messi is leaving Barcelona because of the club’s financial problems and the strictness of the rules of the Spanish championship La Liga, according to which the amount of spending should depend on the club’s earnings. The Catalans fail to comply with the regulations, so the club cannot register new contracts. So, in the 2019/2020 season, Barcelona spent 671 million euros on salaries, this season the club cannot spend more than 383 million euros.
Striker Lionel Messi said he had no plans to leave Barcelona. “I was in a stupor and am in it to this day. […] This is my house. This is what I wanted more than anything. We have always emphasized our well-being, I felt that this is my home. I enjoyed life in Barcelona. It was wonderful”, – leads words of a football player “Match TV”.
Barcelona thanked Messi for his “contribution to the development of the club”. A longtime captain, Messi has played for the club throughout his career since 2003. As part of the team, he won the Champions League four times, the Spanish Cup seven times and the Spanish Championship ten times, and also won the Ballon d’Or six times. Prior to that, Messi played for the Barcelona youth team.