Huge amount Barcelona needed to reduce off wage bill to keep Lionel Messi

Barcelona would have needed to cut their wage bill by almost £200million in order to keep Lionel Messi, it has been claimed.

The La Liga giants released a statement on Thursday confirming that Messi would be leaving the club "because of financial and structural obstacles."

Messi, 34 has been a free agent since July 1 when his contract expired but he had been expected to sign a new deal on reduced terms.

He verbally agreed to take a 50 percent pay cut to extend his association with the club, but that was dependent on Barcelona balancing their finances to comply with financial fair play rules.

As recently as this week, Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced his expectation that Messi would commit to a new deal.

He said: "We are in the process of getting Messi to stay. He wants to stay at Barca and we have to make sure that happens."

In a statement posted to the club's official website, Barcelona claimed that Messi wanted to remain with the Blaugrana but was prevented from doing so by La Liga's financial rules.

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"Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles [Spanish La Liga regulations]," the club said.

Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague revealed to the BBC just how much Barcelona needed to shave off their wage bill to keep Messi at the club.

He said: "To be able to keep Messi, Barca would have to reduce their wage bill by around 200m euros (£172m) and to meet La Liga's Financial Fair Play requirements."

Balague also played down Man City's chances of signing Messi because of the club's commitment to Jack Grealish and potentially Harry Kane.

"So that means they don’t have the financial viability to get Messi", he added.

"Because it’s not like getting someone who will earn say 50 million euros. Whatever it is you have to double it.

"But you also have to pay a signing-on fee , that could be 50,60 ,70 million. It’s a signing from another club almost.

"So from that point of view I don’t think City have got the finances now and we all suspect it has to be PSG next."

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