A top official at the Camp Nou club has described the current market situation as "crazy" and refused to make any guarantees about the future
Lionel Messi’s €700 million release clause may not be big enough to prevent rivals clubs from matching it, Barcelona’s financial and strategy director Pancho Schroder says.
The Argentine committed his future to the club in November after coming perilously close to the time at which he could have started to negotiate with other sides, given his previous deal was up in June 2018.
Included in the fresh terms, which run until 2021, is a €700m release clause designed to put rivals off making a move for the club icon, just as Paris Saint-Germain did to sign Neymar for €222m last August – a fee that many thought was impossible.
“We set up a clause which we think is enough to have Messi retire at FC Barcelona,” Schroder told Sky Sports .
“But having said that, we thought a year ago that the clause for Neymar was also good enough to retain the player, and that proved last summer not to be the case.
“Looking at the future, I think, is difficult, but I don't have a crystal ball and these days things are getting a little bit crazy.”
Messi has enjoyed another prolific season for the Catalan club and remains as one of the leading pack chasing the European Golden Boot, having netted 24 goals in La Liga so far this term and 32 overall.
Barca are in a strong position to regain the Spanish league title, while they are still in the running for both the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
Bandura
285
700 million??? Have people gone insane?? That's enough to feed an impoverished nation for a year! Goodness. Where on earth have our priorities gone? How can the skills of one man be worth that much?
FootballPro19
183
I'm a Real Madrid fan and I honestly don't see any club buying Messi, he is different from Neymar, Barcelona are the club who paid for his treatment when he was younger, (to treat his growth hormone deficiency) he would be insane to betray them after all they've done for him... As a Madridista, I hope he stays at Barca, we want a rival for Ronaldo and Messi is the perfect rival for him, they are legends, we want to see both legends playing in the same league.
6RACIESXAVI
157
Anyone would want to pay 700m for him, this man is worth it. But Messi is not leaving. He has got Barca in his vein.
i_koda
132
Do you think that there are teams having that much money to spend on MESSI....who they know will reject their offer Coz he's not Neymar...he is that person who players fear that they'll become his shadow and players actually leave Barcelona to avoid being his shadow like Neymar
alexGodwin
78
its just business, any club that buys messi at that rate will cover the money immediately from many aspects, sale of Jersey will give the club x2 of money they bought messi and from many other places stadium attendance will increase just to watch Messi in new club and jerssy, finally its just business
Đaiveed ♥
48
Lionel is a Great player who wouldn't wanna have him at their Club??? he's such a magnificent and talented player... there's just one major pro no matter the price offered Messi wouldn't leave Barcelona, barca is the Club that made him achieve his ambitions and dreams!!! for the fact messi is married to Barcelona and he ain't gonna leave no matter what!!!!
i_koda
48
He'll never agree to leave Barcelona...just because of money .He's a respectable player who'll never run after money ..I'm damn sure about that
boxer
29
Even if people are ready to give Messi 1000 billion...He is not gonna move away from Barcelona...he is so thankful this club...Barca saved his life when he was young...and he is soo loyal to his club...If any team come foreward to offer Messi ...He will reject it in any manner He will retire at Barca ...Agree? #Leo💙❤
fitnessinfinity
27
people are so stupid here comparing the worth of Messi and 700 million, Messi is a human and human value is worth more than 700 million actually ,in this scenario it's not about the best footballer,its about the hurting the team from where best footballer is taken out ,once messi is purchased by any team ,that club gonna be 100 times more richer than the present value. just like when zlatan arrived at Manchester, his shirts were enough to feed any whole nation for one day. so it's all business , football is just business for everyone except people like us who watch from their home, spend their important couple of hours whether it's daytime or night ,sacrificing sleep studies work etc for us is football,for rest it's just business.
Enny_Martinee01
23
Hahaha,I would never believe this,who would be able to match his release clause and not be going against Fanancial Fair Play,700M no be small money ooo you also have to consider his age too