Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami should be seen as a blessing in disguise by Barcelona supporters rather than missing out on an opportunity.
There is a subtle moment for every c;ub that prevents a potential disaster waiting to happen. Who is better than Barcelona, who recently lost the race to sign Lionel Messi, to know this difference, having stepped over into this unchartered territory more than once in recent years?
Some questionable transfer decisions by the previous regime have cost Barcelona plenty, and the ramifications of those actions are still relevant. For a club of Barcelona’s stature and revenue, they struggle to make ends meet and bring necessary talents.
π¨π¨ BREAKING: Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, here we go! The decision has been made and it will be announced by Leo in the next hours #InterMiami
πΊπΈ Messi will play in MLS. No more chances for Barcelona/Al Hilal despite trying to make it happen.
ππππ ππ ππ#Messi #MLS pic.twitter.com/OTYWIlEzNc
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 7, 2023
We all know what transpired last summer when they activated those so-called ‘levers’ to inject capital into the club. Those ‘risky’ endeavours allowed Barcelona to bring in players suited to Xavi Hernandez’s project, albeit only after staking their future income.
Without diving deeper into those ‘levers,’ it is safe to assume those decisions worked in the short term but could have a long-term effect in years to come. Like last summer, they face another pivotal period to make ends meet.
La Liga have placed several conditions before Barcelona can become active in the transfer market. For starters, they would need to raise a reported β¬100 million and cull their wage bill by a significant number. All those are possible by raising funds commercially and by selling their existing stars.
βMessi is stupid to reject $1.3bβ
No, heβs not. pic.twitter.com/CVtcIaVH2N
— πππππ’ (@fiago7) June 11, 2023
The subject of Lionel Messi had been lingering around the minds of Barcelona fans ever since rumours of a potential PSG exit started making the rounds. Considering the acrimonious circumstances in which he left Barcelona, was there a chance to reconcile and rejoin his first love?
Possibly, but at what cost? Barcelona may have made some senseless decisions in the past. But with Messi, they played their cards all too well. In his own words, the Argentine superstar said, “Maybe, Barcelona did not do enough to make the transfer happen”, while the club gave the illusion that they did.
Did Barcelona make a mistake by ignoring the Messi deal?
Xavi Hernandez was public about his affection towards Messi and, through comments, suggested he would love to bring the Argentine back. Speaking about tactics, the Barcelona manager seemed to suggest the playmaker would have been perfect for his system. But little did he know of the ideas brewing in the background.
π¨ Jorge Messi and Barcelona president Joan Laporta β meeting now to discuss Leoβs return after La Liga approved the plan.
More to follow on the Messi saga, key hours and days ahead.
π§¨π₯ Exclusive video by @tjuanmarti pic.twitter.com/Fshgi2xX8f
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 5, 2023
In an emotional world, re-signing Messi would have brought the fans together after a hit-and-miss two-year spell without their favourite son. Yet, supporters, though emotional, have failed to see the financial implications the club would have suffered had they held a concrete interest.
In the days before Messi announced his decision to join MLS sideclub Inter Miami, many outlets reported on a meeting between Jorge Messi and Joa Laporta. There was also a video doing the rounds, which all but affirmed their club was making a dream come true.
But at what cost did supporters envisage Messi would arrive? Considering his wages alone, they would have had to sell some of their players to make up the difference and open up space. There would have been unprecedented consequences had they decided to pursue the deal in all seriousness.
So in hindsight, Barcelona made the right decision as a club to ignore the Messi chatter and secretly would have been happy to see him join Inter Miami. It has helped them take the right step towards the future.
The impact of signing Messi
Barcelona have dodged a bullet in this Messi saga, as the astronomical figures mentioned in the media rightly suggest. Fabrizio Romano’s timely updates in the last months showed how much the Saudis were willing to go up to secure the superstar.
Messi: "Money, never been an issue with me. We didn't even discuss the contract with Barcelona! They sent me a proposal but was never an official, written and signed proposal" π΅π΄ #FCB
"We never negotiated my salary. It wasn't about money otherwise I was going to join Saudi". pic.twitter.com/GXIPVyNIkY
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 7, 2023
The latest update from the Italian journalist suggested figures of over β¬1 billion per season for Messi. Financially, it was a no-brainer from Messi’s perspective, as joining a Saudi Arabian club would have made him the highest-paid athlete ever.
But, along came MLS side Inter Miami with their deal to snatch the superstar from the jaws of the Middle Eastern league. Some had even gone as far as suggesting Messi ignored the Saudis’ riches to choose the USA’s ‘quality of life’.
Those claims are untrue, as the MLS deal is equally astronomical. Apart from a league-high salary, the Argentine will also receive part of a share of Apple’s TV rights deal, while Adidas also promised a share of profits from their MLS merchandise sale.
Hence, deciding against competing with the might of the western world and their Eastern counterparts was a no-brainer for Barcelona. The Blaugrana struggle to stay relevant in the European transfer window. So it is unfathomable to think they had the means to take Messi again.
Lionel Messi chose to join the MLS, Inter Miami, over the Saudi League.
He rejected a reported $400 million-a-year deal by the Saudi's.
He will make $53 million annually, per SPORT, with a % of sales from Apple's, $AAPL, MLS Season Pass, shirt sales & stake in the club.
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) June 11, 2023
While Messi’s comments indicated a lack of effort from Barcelona’s side, the truth is the Argentine chose money over sporting ambition. Little can anyone fault the playmaker for his decision. But it is not right when he puts his former club in the mud.
Messi has logically made no sacrifices in choosing MLS over Barcelona or the Saudis. He has chosen money over football, and this move will secure his future for the longer term, much more than what it did to David Beckham.
Barcelona must keep their current stars and plan for the future
Had Joan Laporta fallen for the Messi debacle, he might have sold some of their promising stars that Xavi currently relies on. Messi’s career entered a twilight zone with the World Cup win. Committing whatever little money Barcelona have on the ageing superstar would have forced a few sales.
Raphinhaβs first season at FC Barcelona in all competitions:
π La Liga winner
π Spanish Supercup winner
β½οΈ 10 goals
π― 12 assistsClass player! pic.twitter.com/hUFBbvvCpi
— Stats24 (@_Stats24) June 4, 2023
While they might still let go of some of their players, they may not have to sell players like Ansu Fati and Raphinha to make ends meet. Those two, alongside others, have a future with the club, and the team has to have foresight on how to use them.
Barcelona must plan their summer activity without haste and not make senseless decisions that may put the club’s finances at risk. Money may be tight right now, but they can make up the numbers with the right sales. For instance, they might sell those only here on a utility level and bring in the funds.
They are already making moves for Ilkay Gundogan and other free agents, including Inigo Martinez. The club must think short term and stabilise themselves before returning to the big table in a few years. Overall, Barcelona fans should be glad their club evaded the Messi bullet, even at the cost of redeeming themselves for the debacle with the superstar two years ago.
