Lionel Messi's contract renewal must be based on his future value

Lionel Messi's renewal is not about settling on a figure and four variables with their respective clauses and small print. Leo is not another one in the list of players who one day will be former players. It is not a question of agreeing a few years and fattening the letter M in the veterans dictionary. That is the first thing that Marc Ciria, Ivan Cabeza and Josep Fabra, three Barcelona economists, thought, when one of the candidacies in the last Barcelona presidential elections commissioned them to make a report to find out how the No 10 should be approached, regarding his future. SPORT has had access to the document, which was also reviewed by a second presidency candidate.

The question was simple. How should Barca take on Messi’s renewal? The answer was more complicated, but involved a ‘project for life’ based on everything Leo could give to the club in both sporting and economic terms, but in Leo’s case there also “had to be a sentimental component” added, said Ivan Cabeza.

NOT JUST MONEY

The first thing to agree would be his length of contract as a player, before - as his intention seems to be - starting an MLS adventure with David Beckham’s Inter Miami. What’s certain is that what comes next has to be agreed in advance. The new c contract will have to involve a pay cut, but the length of the deal should be for life. 

Cabeza said “we’ve looked for cases like his and we have not found any. Not at this level, of this magnitude. He arrived at Barca at 12 years old, they paid for his growth treatment and many years later he will hang up his boots at the same place.”

“He doesn’t have the same relationship with Adidas, Argentina, City. The objective should be to make Messi a strategic partner of the club, not just an ambassador, to increase Barca’s value but also his own,” said Ciria.

“Can Messi keep generating Barca money even when he’s not playing? Absolutely, and it should be measured.” 

Josep Fabra added: “And all that without playing him a salary because his benefits will be the benefits shared with Barca.” It obliges the question, how?

PLAN

The objective is to increase income thanks to the link between Barca and Messi. They have picked out some big areas where they can work together. The FCB Foundation, the Leo Messi Foundation, Barca Academy, BL&LM (merchandising), and Barca Corporate (Barca Studios/Barca Innovation Hub). Leo Messi’s role to increase income of these departments will see him paid. “If we can quantify, and we can, that you generate 300 million, then 50 or 60 of those each year are yours,” said Ciria. He is imagining that “the Messi brand transcends Messi himself and his foundation strengthens itself to be a legacy for those that follow.” Like the Cruyff foundation? “Exactly.”

Looking too short term would be an error, for the economists. Everyone would lose out and not just in terms of money. Messi is an amazing footballer now but in the future he should go from being vital on the pitch to still being so off of it.

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