In its bid to offer Lionel Messi a new deal, FC Barcelona is trying to off load a number of players to continue its association with one of the greatest footballer in the planet.
At present, the club is facing financial woes and the salary cap in La Liga has made the situation really tough for it.
Commenting on the issue, La Liga president Javier Tebas has hinted that Messi will have to suffer a massive pay cut to remain with his childhood team.
Notably, Messi had become a free agent on July 1 after his contract with the club expired however, it is still trying to keep the striker with itself for another two years.
Messi’s last contract was worth more than EUR500 million over four years. It included signing-on fees, bonuses besides his weekly salary buy Tebas said that Messi must take a substantial pay cut to remain with the club.
“He won’t be able to sign [for Barcelona] on the previous conditions, that’s impossible,” Tebas was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“I don’t think any European club would be able to pay that amount,” he added.
As there had been reports stating that Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are trying to acquire the services of Messi, Tebasi said the two club wouldn’t be able to match the Argentine’s last salary.
“Manchester City have lost EUR270m [during the Covid-19 pandemic] so obviously they wouldn’t even consider signing Messi [on his old salary]. If they do, it will be the financial doping. I’ve told [Pep] Guardiola this too. I’ve directly said that to him, ‘would you have won as many titles without as much economic doping?,” he added.