Lionel Messi Mandated to Take Pay Cut or Leave Barca
One of the presidential candidates in Barcelona’s upcoming elections by name Emili Rousaud has said Lionel Messi must take a pay cut or he will have to leave Barcelona next summer.
According to the Emili Rousaud he said Messi in the club will be determinant on him accepting a pay-cut. Lionel Messi’s future has been the subject of discussion in Camp Nou since the close of the transfer window.
They have been heavy speculation ever since he handed in a formal transfer request last summer in the wake of Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich.
Messi only stayed back because of the threat of legal action the club will take against him should he go. Right now it seems like the club is blackmailing him as one the presidential candidate has said the player must accept pay-cut or leave.
Some weeks ago one the presidential candidate said left to him Messi would have left the club since summer. English Premier League side Manchester City and Franch Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain have been showing interest in the player he might just be leaving the club soon.
Lionel Messi is yet to pen down a new contract and even if he wants to, he has to wait until the end of the presidential elections. Rousaud has claimed that Messi, who earns £500,000-per-week at the Nou Camp, would have to take a pay cut in order to stay at Barcelona when talks begin.
According to him, he said: “We’ll have to sit down with Messi and ask him to take a salary cut.” “Right now, with things as they are, it’s unsustainable.” “We’ll ask him to make the sacrifice. If there’s no agreement, then Messi will leave.”
He also said: “Messi has written the most brilliant pages in the club’s history. We have to honour our legends, but the reality is what it is.” “I believe that things have to be said as they are. We can’t fool our members. We’ll make every effort to ensure he stays, but always with the interests of the club first.”