Is Lionel Messi Worth It?

Yes, its true, Lionel Messi wants to leave Barcelona. This time it is for real, there is no powerplay involved, it isn’t for a better contract, or to get Bartomeu out. Lionel Messi wants to leave Barcelona, and the shockwaves of this proposed move might change the landscape of European football permanently, much like the transfer of Neymar 3 years earlier. Messi no longer wants to be part of the Barcelona rebuild, he no longer wants to carry the team to eventual humiliation in the Champions League, and his suitors are rushing to open their chequebooks. And as the news broke out from Marca that Messi has asked the Barcelona board to terminate his contract, the footballing world went into overdrive. As expected, football clubs and social media teams rushed to quickly photoshop a photo of Messi wearing their kit and make announcements that he should come there. Yes, that is all great for social media engagement numbers. But in reality, only a precious few can even afford to approach Messi in the current market. And the question people should be asking is, is he even worth it?

And no, I am not questioning his footballing ability. He still is the best player in the world, and probably has three more years of elite-level play left in him. But as he has an enormous impact on the pitch, he also has a gargantuan effect on the finances. And Barcelona has probably crumbled under the weight of his massive contract over the past few years.

Lionel Messi earns 50 Million euros net per year from Barcelona, which comfortably makes him the highest-paid player on the planet. That comes to a pre-tax wage of around 100 million Euros which Barcelona have to shell out and that includes his basic wages, bonuses, loyalty fees and image rights. There are a few clubs in the world today who can afford that.

On top of that, he has a 700 million euro release clause in his contract that of course, no club will pay. A club could cough up a bid of 100 million euros to allow Barcelona to let him go or he could convince Barcelona to adhere to the clause in his contract and, they could unilaterally decide to terminate his contract before it expires in 2021. Let’s assume the latter happens. You still have to pay Messi a significant signing on fee and his 100 million euro salary for around three years. Even if he takes a wage cut, which he will have to, a club will have to shell out a significant amount of money for a player who also has no resale value. And all this is compounded by the fact that Covid-19 has strangled football revenues and cash is tighter than ever.

This leaves only three realistic suitors for Messi. Manchester City and PSG are backed by states and they will have the financial might to broker a deal. They will also be aided by the fact that FFP is basically suspended for a year by UEFA, although that has not stopped either of them in the past. The other option could be Italy and Inter Milan, where their new owners and lenient tax laws could be an attractive option for the Argentinian. Despite all that, if even 3 of the richest clubs in the world have to move heaven and earth to sign a player, you have to question whether it is worth it. Contrary to popular belief, clubs don’t earn any major money from shirt sales. While Messi does add to the brand appeal and marketing side of things, at what cost does that come?

Success is no longer guaranteed with Lionel Messi in the team

The other debate is that the successful modern super club has a team full of players working for each other instead of a superstar who can produce a bit of magic. Juventus and Barcelona are crippled by their huge outlay on Messi and Ronaldo and that has prevented them from adding the required pieces around them to make a championship team. Liverpool and Bayern Munich, the best two teams in the world right now are the perfect example of a team with no bonafide superstars. They implement the high press, win the ball up high and carry no passengers in defence. For teams who want to play this way, will they have to adapt to Messi and try and make the most out of the greatest player ever, or will Messi have to adapt to them?

Whatever happens, this transfer saga is going to run and run. It might even include a long drawn out legal battle between the club and the player and Barcelona may even alienate the very player who has helped them reach the pinnacle of football. But maybe this is what football has come to. Its no longer the utopian world we envisage it to be, loyalty is nothing more than a smokescreen. And as the last true one-club man leaves for greener pastures, its a dark reminder that when you strip everything away, football is nothing more than a business that aims for profit.