Presidential Candidate for the upcoming Barcelona elections, Emili Rousaud has revealed that Lionel Messi would have to take a salary cut or leave the club next summer.
The Argentine super star’s future at Nou Camp have been a subject to many speculations as the latest reports have linked the 32-year-old with a move to either Manchester City or Paris St-Germain.
Messi had handed the club he spent almost two decades a request to leave last summer after they were bundled out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in a humiliating 8 – 2 defeat.
Messi’s decision risked incurring legal action and thus, the Argentine stayed avoided such outcome by staying put until the expiration of his contract.
Although, there seem to be a possibility that the Argentine will continue playing for Barcelona until the end of his career. But, such hope hinges on who wins the election come January.
Thus, Rousaud has claimed that Messi, who earns £500,000-per-week at the Nou Camp, would have to take a pay cut in order to stay at Barcelona when talks begin.
“We’ll have to sit down with Messi and ask him to make a salary cut,” Rousaud told Catalan newspaper ARA.
“Right now, with things as they are, it’s unsustainable.
“We’ll ask him to make the sacrifice. If there’s no agreement, then Messi will leave.
“Messi has written the most brilliant pages in the club’s history. We have to honour our legends, but the reality is what it is.
“I believe that things have to be said as they are. We can’t fool our members. We’ll make every effort to ensure he stays, but always with the interests of the club first.”
Messi scored the winner in Sunday night’s victory over Levante to bolster Barcelona’s chances to win the La Liga this season. Barcelona are nine points behind LaLiga leaders Real Sociedad.
The Catalan giants came off the back of two disappointing defeats to earn victory over Levante at home and will take on Sociedad on Wednesday night .
