Barcelona board threaten to do 1 thing to newspaper over reported Messi’s £492m contract leak
- Barcelona’s contract with Lionel Messi is regarded as the biggest deal in the history of sports
- The Argentine is reportedly worth up to €555m (£492m) over four seasons according to El Mundo
- Club chiefs are upset with the report and have threatened legal action against the medium
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The entire Camp Nou was thrown into confusion on Saturday night January 30, when Spanish newspaper El Mundo published details of what it claimed as Lionel Messi’s contract.
According to the medium, the Argentine is reportedly worth up to €555m (£492m) over four seasons, a situation that has put the club into division.
Latest reports have it that Camp Nou chiefs have threatened to sue the newspaper responsible for its publication.
According to the report, Messi’s deal with Barca is the biggest in sports history as it shows the Argentine would receive a maximum of US$673,919,105 (about N303 billion) over four seasons if a series of conditions were met.
It was signed in November 2017 during the reign of former club president Josep Bartomeu and will expire on June 30 this year when the player is expected to leave if there is no agreement.
Messi attempted to leave the club last summer when he tendered his transfer request citing a clause in his contract claiming he could leave for free, however, he later made a U-turn.
Their most recent set of accounts revealed that Barca's total debt is over a billion euros and player wages are responsible for almost three-quarters of the club's budget.
Source: Getty Images
The El Mundo report said Messi's 30-page contract saw Barcelona agree to pay the forward €138,000,000 (about N62billion) per season, including variables.
It included a signing-on bonus of €115,225,000 (about N51billion) for accepting the renewal and a "loyalty" bonus of €77,929,955 (about N35billion).
The club denies the claim in a statement via Sky Sports:
"In view of the information published today in the newspaper El Mundo, in relation to the professional contract signed between FC Barcelona and the player Lionel Messi, the club regrets its publication given that it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties.
"FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document, and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to a 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in a tough Spanish League encounter at Camp Nou.
The 33-year-old Argentine struck a stunning free-kick at the edge of the 18-yard box in the 20th minute to hit his 650th goal for the Catalans in his career.
Source: Legit.ng
