Barca Keep Messi Without Lowering Salary Or Laundering Players? Impossible

Lionel Messi (Twitter @argentina)

JAKARTA - Barcelona will have to drastically reduce the wages of their players in order to keep Lionel Messi, La Liga chief Javier Tebas said on Thursday, adding that the club would not get leniency when it comes to the league's strict financial control rules.

The leading goalscorer and most featured player in Barca's history ended his 21-year relationship with the club last month and is currently on a free transfer after the Catalan club were unable to offer him a new contract due to financial difficulties.

President Joan Laporta said last month Messi wanted to stay at the club but awarding him a new contract was hampered by the league's Financial Fair Play rules.

Spanish media reports suggested La Liga could relax the rules that keep the six-time Ballon d'Or winner at Barca, but Tebas said it was unlikely that would happen.

"The rules are as they are and everyone has to obey them, from Barcelona to (second division teams) Alcorcon," he told Spanish network La Sexta.

The 34-year-old Messi helped guide Argentina to the Copa America final and on Saturday will play host Brazil hoping to win a first major trophy with his country.

But his club's future still needs to be worked out as the new La Liga season begins again in five weeks' time.

ASÍ LO VIVIÓ EL 10 El pase y la reacción de Messi tras el gol de Lautaro Martínez ante Colombia en la semifinal de la CONMEBOL #CopaAmérica . Todo con nuestra cámara exclusiva #VibraElContinente pic.twitter.com/ULWi9l8CK6

— Copa América (@CopaAmerica) July 7, 2021

Tebas says the only way Barca can keep their captaincy is to sell a lot of players, having recently sold left-back Junior Firpo to Leeds United and US international Konrad de la Fuente to Olympique de Marseille.

"If there are no players who leave, it is impossible (to extend)," added Tebas.