Report: Lionel Messi currently loses €100,000 per day

As the details over a new contract continue to be hashed out between Barcelona and Lionel Messi, a report from French publication L’Equipe, as relayed by MARCA, claims that the 34-year-old superstar is currently losing €100,000 every day he spends as a free agent.

Messi became a free agent when his contract with Barcelona expired at the end of last month. The six-time Ballon d’Or, who has been away on international duty with Argentina, whom he led to the 2021 Copa America glory, is yet to re-sign with the Blaugrana although an agreement is said to be imminent.

La Liga’s Fair Play and salary cap rules were proving to be prohibitive for the Catalans to accommodate Messi’s new contract. However, it has recently been claimed that the league has authorised the registration of the veteran superstar as a Barcelona player, which has come as a huge boost for the club and their supporters.

But the aforementioned report claims that Messi and Barcelona are yet to reach an agreement on the new contract, as negotiations continue. The Argentine was said to be making a salary of €138.9 million per season as per his previous agreement with the Catalan giants. That comes down to a €100,000 per day, which he is now missing out on after his contract ran out.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta, though, remains confident that Messi wants to stay at Camp Nou and an agreement will soon be finalised. “I would like to say that it’s all done, but it’s not like that. The discussions are going well, but it’s not over yet. The idea is to finish up as soon as possible. We are confident, because he wants to stay,” he said.

The sooner the situation is resolved, the better for everyone involved, with Barcelona still having some important transfer business to take care of before the new season gets off.