Barcelona are reportedly set to offer their star player Lionel Messi a new deal worth £40 million annually.
The Catalan giants are ready to make him the highest paid player on the continent with the new deal.
The new contract would ensure Messi plays the bulk of his remaining days at Camp Nou. He has been consistent for years and the club are determined to keep things going smooth, despite speculations that the growing rift between the player and the club could force him to leave.
Messi has come to be known as the centrepiece of all the action for a decade now. If the player were to leave, it would definitely affect the club in multiple proportions: marketing, their fan base, football-wise et al.
Getting a capable replacement would be almost impossible. Neymar and Luis Suarez have come to form a partnership with him that could force them to exit the side as well if Messi leaves, or at least it would significantly affect their performance.
Messi is the club’s largest attraction. He makes enough for the club in merchandise to be compensated as such. While £40 million per season is much, huge salaries are now a regular thing in modern football.
The odds always remained with Messi remaining at the club to build on his legacies. He is likely going to accept the deal that would surely see him finish his career with the La Liga defending champions. While his career is gradually winding down, Messi remains a strong force in the game. This was evident in the greatest comeback in European football against Paris St Germain.
While the diminutive Argentina international struggles on the international scene, the club is set up around him that would ensure he gets to lift a trophy every now and then – this makes better sense in all ramifications than leaving his comfort zone at this stage of his career.