Barcelona director Oscar Grau has suggested Lionel Messi could leave the club as the Spanish giants struggle to find the resources to meet the Argentine’s wage demands.
The 29-year-old has 18 months to run on his existing deal at the Nou Camp and he’s yet to agree a new contract with the Catalans.
Luis Suarez and Neymar recently signed new deals with the club worth around £21m-a-year but Messi – understandably – wants to become the highest paid player at the club.
Those deals have stretched Barcelona’s budget and they are nearing the 70% limit that La Liga place on clubs for expenditure on wages.
Barcelona currently have the second highest wage bill in the world – behind Manchester United – and Grau has suggested the club can’t meet Messi’s demands.
‘We want the best players but perhaps we have to prioritise,’ said Grau.
‘We have to make the numbers add up,One option is to increase our revenues, as our economic strategy forecasts.
‘The club wants the best player in the world to stay at Barca. I would like to ease the concerns of club members and supporters but we have to use common sense.’
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