Argentine star Messi set to seal new mega-bucks deal with Barcelona
15 Sep 2009 - 09:37:52
Lionel Messi is set to sign a £170,000 a week after-tax deal that would keep him at Barcelona until 2016.
The Argentina star will receive a £30,000 a week pay rise that would see him overtake Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the European champions' highest earner. The Sweden striker, signed from Inter Milan this summer, takes home £160,000 a week.
Messi is already tied to Barcelona until 2014 but the two-year extension would also see an improvement on the valuation of his potential bonuses, while his buy-out clause could as much as double from the current level of £132million.
Barca president Joan Laporta said: 'Messi has already agreed an improved contract. He should be the highest-paid player in the team, he deserves it.
Stats Zone
'He's the best player in the world and one of the best in football history. He's content (here at Barca) and that's why he's playing the way he is.'
The 22-year-old's earnings would still be some way short of what Cristiano Ronaldo picks up at Real Madrid. The former Manchester United star's six-year contract at the Bernabeu is worth at least £200,000 a week after tax.
Ronaldo's buy-out clause is reported to be 1bn euros (£880m), but Barca feel Messi's commitment is as much a deterrent to the likes of Madrid and Manchester City making a bid.
Madrid use the so-called 'Beckham law' to pay 24 per cent tax on Ronaldo's earnings, which is the same for Barca with Ibrahimovic, but Messi's earnings are subject to the full 43 per cent rate because he has been resident in Spain for more than five years.
Midfield star Andres Iniesta is expected to follow suit by signing a two-year extension to 2016 with Barcelona, but head coach Pep Guardiola may wait until the end of the season before renewing his contract, which expires at the end of the season.
