Barcelona Threaten Legal Action Against Its Own Players in Stunning New Reports
- Barcelona are reportedly willing to take legal action against players who rebel against a wage cut
- The club needs to significantly reduce their wage bill if they are to register their new signings ahead of the new season
- Some senior players have already agreed to a wage cut but others are still unwilling to go that route, with the new season set to begin on the weekend of August 15
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By now, it is no secret that Barcelona is going through turbulent financial times, days to the beginning of the new season.
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The Catalan giants are reportedly willing to take their own players to court if that is what it will take to get some stars to take a wage cut.
La Liga president Javier Tebas warned Barcelona that if the club do not reduce their wage bill, they might be unable to register their new signings Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia.
Initial reports claimed that Argentine superstar Lionel Messi had agreed to take a huge pay cut in order to sign a long term deal with Barcelona, weeks after he became a free agent.
But Messi’s wage cut will not be enough, and the club wants more players to sign wage reduction agreements by August 15, the same weekend La Liga starts once again.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are now willing to drag some of the players to court to fight it out on the issue of wage cuts.
The publication further states that the likes of Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto have agreed to take a wage cut but there are still some senior Barca players who are playing hard ball.
The exact legal action Barca will take against the players is not outlined in the report, making it unclear whether the club will actually triumph if they involve the law.
Players are fully entitled to decline wage cuts as they run down their contracts, hence it might prove difficult for Barcelona to have their way.
Not only does the club wants some players to have their wages reduced, they are also looking to offload other players before the season starts.
Names like Clement Lenglet, Sergino Dest and Samuel Umtiti are among those reportedly up for sale at Barcelona, with Ousmanne Dembele getting a surprise improved deal just when his Barca career looked to be finished.
Elsewhere, there were reports that Antoinne Griezzmann was poised for a return to his former club Atletico Madrid in exchange for playmaker Saul but that deal has reportedly been called off.
Details of Messi's new deal
After weeks of speculation, Lionel Messi looks to have set his mind to end his career with Barcelona.
The 34-year old has a five-year deal on the table from Barcelona which, if he agrees to, will see him nearly half his previous wages.
At the same time, the new deal will see him stay with Barcelona until he is 39.
One of Joan Laporta's projects, when he was re-elected as the president of the club earlier this year, was to talk the Argentine out of leaving at the end of his contract.
Source: Legit.ng
