Barcelona’s €100m/year sponsorship deal collapsed because of Messi’s departure

Barcelona have been on the hunt for a new sponsor for the past few months. The current sponsorship deal with Rakuten comes to an end at the end of the current season. A new name is expected to appear in the front of the shirt next season, and bids are currently being accepted by the board.

According to the reliable Que T’hi Jugues, the Catalan club received a sponsorship offer from an online education platform based in India. The brand were willing to provide €55-60 million with a 15% bonus.

The deal was said to be close to closing with an agreement reached between the two parties. However, Lionel Messi’s sudden departure at the end of the transfer window caused the investors to lose their interest in the pursuit. That said, the deal broke down.

Earlier reports also said that a crypto-based company were interested in signing the sponsorship deal with the club. The party was willing to pay €70 million to seal the deal with an additional 20% in variables.

That deal also did not go through, because the club did not match the crypto company’s ideology which was polar to Barcelona’s traditional system.

Needless to say, Lionel Messi’s departure has made life more difficult for the Barcelona administration. The Argentine was the torchbearer and icon of not just Barcelona but Spanish football.

Messi brought in not just income to the club via shirt sales but also was influential in luring players and sponsors to the club. In his absence, Barcelona now need new players to step up and produce performances that reassure potential investors.