Barcelona presidential candidate Emili Rousaud insists Lionel Messi’s current salary is not ‘affordable’ for LaLiga giants with money … but admits he is desperate to sign a superstar new contract and stay at the club
- Emili Rousaud says Messi’s salary is not ‘affordable’ because of the club’s finances
- The striker is said to be earning around £ 500,000-a-week in Barcelona
- Barca are now £ 700m in debt and are boasting a £ 1billion-a-year salary bill
- Rousaud, however, is convinced that the club must secure Messi ‘s future at Barca
Barcelona presidential candidate Emili Rousaud says Lionel Messi’s current salary is not ‘affordable’ due to the club’s financial situation.
Messi, who asked to leave Campa Nou earlier this year, has less than seven months left on his contract with the Catalans and could be free to negotiate with other clubs in January.
Rousaud believes the club must secure Messi ‘s future at Campa Nou, but believes they must look at reducing his salary to return to their former glory.
Emili Rousaud says Messi’s salary is not ‘affordable’ due to the club’s current financial situation
Rousaud – who was among the six directors who resigned out of a protest against Josep Maria Bartomeu’s management of the club – said Barcelona’s future is in Messi’s hands.
Rousaud said the club cannot make cuts ‘everywhere’ and that the onus is on the player himself.
Rousaud also says that if Messi leaves in January, he will not be responsible for the money.
Rousaud told Spanish newspaper AS: ‘We can’t just cut everywhere, and that’s because we would grow small and need to think big.
‘The future [of the club] hands, but at the moment Leo ‘s salary is not affordable. ‘
Rousaud (above) however is convinced that the club must secure Messi’s future in Barcelona
Barcelona’s Spanish giants are in financial turmoil amid the pandemic of coronavirus
Rousaud said Messi’s revised salary would be based: ‘on the club’s sports project’.
Rousaud said Messi is a winner and if he goes no more will be paid. Leo Messi is the player who has given Barca the most in their history and what Messi has given is measured.
‘We will not speak to the player until we are in power, but the person who brought him to Barcelona is in this bid, Jose Maria Minguella.’
Reports by Deloitte Money League 2020 showed that Barcelona was considered the club with the highest revenue in European football before the pandemic.
Barca interim president Carles Tusquets believes Messi’s sale would be financially better
However, the Spanish giants are now £ 700million in debt and have a £ 1 billion a year salary bill.
Messi contributes significantly to their financial struggles. earning around £ 500,000-a-week from Barca.
While Rousaud is looking to reduce Messi’s salary, Barcelona president Carles Tusquets believes Messi’s sale would be financially better for the club.