Despite having previously said that he would not make a public decision on whether to stay with Barcelona or leave until the end of the season, the latest reports from Caught Offside indicate that Lionel Messi will announce his intentions in the coming days.
The news comes from the fact that El Mundo leaked the fine details of Messi’s contract with Barcelona, with their report revealing that the Argentine’s salary totaled the remarkable amount of € 555,237,619 over four years, including variables.
El Mundo today, what a bomb. Leo Messi’s contract with Barcelona revealed on the front page 🔴👇🏻 @elmundoes
– contract € 555,237,619 [4 years].
– € 138 million per season fixed + variables.
– € 115,225,000 as ‘renewal fee’ only for accepting the contract.
– € 77,929,955 loyalty bonus. pic.twitter.com/FK3I34hJta
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 31, 2021
The revelations came at a bad time for Ronald Koeman, with the blaugrana coming into its own after a difficult start to the season. They will take on Athletic Bilbao tonight at Camp Nou and if they win, they will finish second, seven points over La Liga leader Atletico Madrid, depending on their result this afternoon.
The Catalans are also still live in the Copa del Rey, where they will face Granada in the quarter-finals, and the Champions League, where they will take on Paris-Saint Germain, one of Messi’s most tenacious suitors, in the last 16.
Don Balon reports that Messi is furious about the leak of his contract details and confirms that he recently warned the club that if there were any more leaks affecting him or his family, he would take time for his career at the Camp Nou and new would look for pastures. With that done, it looks like the end is in sight.