Lionel Messi Contract Extension Hinges On Willingness To Take Pay Cut

KEY POINTS

Barcelona is drowning in debt and may not have enough funds to keep Lionel Messi, a report says
Messi agreeing to a pay cut in his next deal may not be enough
Messi could end up playing for a new club by next season

FC Barcelona is trying to pick up the pieces as the club prepares for a new era. Josep Maria Bartomeu has stepped down, the same person whom Lionel Messi blasted in recent months. However, even a change at the helm does not guarantee that the Argentine star will prolong his stay at Camp Nou.

With the next club president yet to be named, one potential candidate has spoken out on how the Catalan giants can survive their financial turmoil. Toni Freixa is fully aware that they need to cut expenses, and the wages of Messi is at the top of the list.

Barca is drowning in debt, which is said to be roughly in the vicinity of £700 million ($921 million). There is a need to address this issue that has been made even worse by the coronavirus pandemic. Most clubs have felt the financial impact of the global crisis, leading some to take measures to survive in the financial sense, Goal reported.

Here is where the case of Messi may get a bit tricky. The 33-year-old forward’s contract will expire at the end of the season, and it will not be surprising if he wants another huge deal. This may pose a problem for Barca, which would need to convince the Argentine to agree to a pay cut to stay on at Camp Nou.

For Freixa, Messi will be handed a new contract, although the numbers on it may not be as staggering as the one he has right now, El Curbito reported. For now, it remains unclear how Barca can convince Messi to re-sign with the club next season, Diario Sport reported.

"To him, as to all the players who have to renew or sign, we will make an offer that, of course, will not be feasible to match the terms that he has had until now," Freixa said.

"It's evident, and the members cannot be deceived, that the proposal that will be presented to him will not be the same as the one he has had until now, because income has fallen significantly and it will be necessary to find another formula," he continued.

If that is the scenario Messi will be facing at the end of this season, there is a chance he may jump ship. There are several teams linked to the Argentine star such as Inter Milan, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.