Barcelona have been forced to cut Memphis Depay's salary by 30 per cent just weeks after signing the Netherlands international.
Depay - who sign a contract with the Catalan giants until the end of the 2022-2023 season - will join new recruits Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Emerson Royal at the club next term.
However, the Nou Camp side have reportedly exceeded LaLiga's strict salary limit - meaning the newcomers cannot be officially registered with the league and could face further salary cuts.
Depay had been continually linked with a move to Barcelona and will now officially reunite with former Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman next season.
A deal worth £6million - with added performance based bonuses - was initially presented to the striker.
However, given the financial difficulty at the club, Barcelona are now unable to offer more than £5m.
According to Goal, Depay is happy to take the pay cut to help his new side out amid the financial turmoil at the club.
The LaLiga giants have also taken other measures to reduce their wage bill ahead of next season.
Players are being pushed to the exit, some by choice and some out of sheer necessity for the urgent salary-cap situation.
Although much of the wage-cutting has been activated to secure a new deal for Messi, who is currently out of contract and at the Copa America with Argentina.
The club legend is expected to continue at the Nou Camp, but his wages are extortionate and there will be no shortage of suitors for his signature if Barcelona don't offer him what he is asking for.
Next season is a big one for Koeman and Barca after they dropped out of the LaLiga title race with games to spare last time out.
They finished third behind Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, and Koeman's job will certainly be under threat if they don't improve on that position this time around.
Wadikmnt
531
if messi honestly loved barcelona and not money he would have made everything easy for the team he claims to love and signed for a lower wage after all he earns too much
wipailnosy
337
A lot of you don’t understand that they cannot afford to lose Messi as he makes the club 3 times more money than they pay him. If he leaves they won’t be able to pay back debt. The whole league will suffer
mueadlmoy
323
they need to jail bartomeu for this present situation
Jattfanmessida
322
Wijnaldum to Depay after reading this news 'I told you it's a scam,'
rooailntuz
16
if messi honestly loved barcelona and not money he would have made everything easy for the team he claims to love and signed for a lower wage after all he earns too much
he has accepted 50 per cent decline in his salary what you need now mother *****er🤬🤬🤬
Funcdemouz
10
if messi honestly loved barcelona and not money he would have made everything easy for the team he claims to love and signed for a lower wage after all he earns too much
Big Decision, no need to offer Messi a new contract. Life must be go on. It's time to rebuild the team without Messi shadow. Why Barcelona too scared to use his own talented young players from La Masia. Just look England euro team, they rebuild their team with almost all young players and still performing well. Barcelona already knows their dying financial but still buying outside players. They even sold young good players and planning buying outside players. Messi salary alone with Barcelona more or less 400million per month.
Lm10cr7saurab
8
if messi honestly loved barcelona and not money he would have made everything easy for the team he claims to love and signed for a lower wage after all he earns too much
I don’t think a player who has kissed the club’s badge many times is after the money. If he was after money he wouldn’t be doing that. We all know how humble Messi is . He likes to live a simple life. Why would he be after the money then ?? It doesn’t make sense