Lionel Messi is reportedly set to earn close to €769,000-a-week at PSG, which would amount to approximately €40 million per annum, according to French outlet L’Equipe (via SPORTbible).
Lionel Messi and Barcelona parted ways earlier this week with the six-time Ballon d'Or winner now reportedly close to joining PSG. According to the aforementioned source, PSG is set to offer Lionel Messi a two-year contract with an option to extend it by another year.
Assuming Lionel Messi stays in Paris for three years, the 34-year-old superstar could earn close to €120 million after taxes. This figure is just the wages he would receive from PSG and does not include performance-related clauses or a signing-on fee. Factoring in everything, Lionel Messi could theoretically earn upwards of €150 million in total during his time at PSG.
Lionel Messi was rumored to have agreed to take a wage cut in order to sign a contract extension with Barcelona. However, that would not be the case if he joins PSG with the Ligue 1 giants ready to offer him close to €769,000 per week.
The reason for Lionel Messi's monumental wages at PSG was mentioned by Sports Witness (via L’Equipe):
"PSG intends to be inventive and persuasive. A player of Messi's fame will inevitably generate additional income. It will also be likely to attract new economic partners, to spread the PSG brand even more in the world, to sell more jerseys."
L'Equipe report PSG will be paying Lionel Messi €40m a year... after tax.— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) August 6, 2021
Signing Lionel Messi would make this the greatest transfer window in PSG's history
Lionel Messi is on the verge of becoming PSG's fourth free transfer this summer. The Parisians have already signed Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarumma on free transfers. PSG have also signed Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan for €60 million.
This could become the greatest transfer window for a single club in the history of club football. PSG have strengthened in almost every position possible on the pitch. However, the arrival of Lionel Messi would be the ultimate icing on the cake.
According to RMC Sport (via Get French Football News), Lionel Messi will wear the number 19 shirt at PSG instead of the number 10 which he made iconic whilst playing for Barcelona and the Argentinian national team.
Paris Saint-Germain have been the only club to approach Leo and Jorge Messi directly since Thursday evening - not using intermediary. Dressing room also ‘convinced’ that Leo’s coming. 🚨🇦🇷 #Messi
PSG contract proposal will include an option to extend the agreement until 2024.— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2021