NBA Stars Are In Disbelief Over Lionel Messi's Mammoth Barcelona Contract

Lionel Messi's Barcelona contract was so mouthwatering that even NBA stars were stunned to learn how much the Argentine was earning.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner's deal at the Nou Camp expired on 30 June, meaning he is now a free agent and technically unemployed.

He does look likely to re-sign with Barca and link up with close friend and compatriot Sergio Aguero at club level, yet Messi will almost definitely have to take a pay cut given the dire financial situation the Catalan outfit are in.

Previously, as per leaks from El Mundo that emerged in January, Messi's overall earnings were an extortionate €555,237,619 (£491 million) across four years.

That number was made up of his base salary, image rights, bonuses and other variables but Messi was also entitled to a pricey payment of £102 million for putting pen to paper - and then a loyalty bonus of €77,929,955 (£69 million).

The £122,216,242.40 per season arrangement is comfortably the biggest contract in the sports history and was enough to leave some of the NBA's big dogs in disbelief.

Image: PA

Kevin Durant has a reported $164 million four-year-deal with the Brooklyn Nets but he said Messi's contract was "insane".

Isaiah Thomas, meanwhile, was thinking about encouraging his kids to play a different sport to him after seeing Messi's mindblowing figures.

"OMG. I gotta put my kids in Futbol lol,"the two-time NBA All-Star wrote on Twitter.

Messi has been involved in contract negotiations with Barcelona for quite some time but could not reach an agreement on an extension before the current deal ran its course.

Image: PA

Still, despite interest from elsewhere, Barca president Joan Laporta is hopeful he will continue as a Barcelona player.

"We want him to stay and Leo wants to stay, everything is on the right track, what's left to sort out is the issue of fair play and we are in the process of finding the best solution for both parties," Laporta told El Transistor.

"I'd like to be able to announce that he is staying but at the moment I cannot do that, because we are in the process of looking for the best solution for both parties."

Topics: Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, NBA

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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