OT: Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona (Update: Signs with PSG)

[DNP - Old]

Well, I've been speechless since the news broke. Let's see if I got this correctly.

All reports state the main issue for the re-signing was fitting Messi's money into the new salary limits imposed by LaLiga. The proposition made by Barcelona's management was for Leo to earn 20M € this coming season, to help accommodate the new guys and ease the economic situation the club is undergoing. This would be rewarded by the club, granting him a salary raise up to 80M € for the following 22/23 season, totalling around 100M € for 2 seasons.

The new salary cap limitations made this deal impossible, and management asked Messi's father to lower a bit further the salary in the agreement. And this is where his father drew the line and said 'No.'

So, recapping and making it simple: dude left for money. He is the best, biggest, dearest and most defining and important player this club has ever had. He has stablished records and numbers no one will come close to in the next 80 years. He has worn that shirt for 20+ years. And he is leaving for money. A dude who has earned well over 1,000,000,000 euros during his professional career has decided not to push these numbers higher, not to keep fighting for the team of his entire life, for money.

I am certainly not able to speak from the perspective of a billionaire, so maybe I'm not suitable to decide if it is worth or not, but, from the outside, it definitely looks like going from 1.3B € to 1.6B € in total career earnings when it's all said and done is not worth leaving your lifelong team and abandoning the chance to stablish numbers that won't ever be matched.

Of course, Barcelona's management has been GODLY AWFUL for the last 5 years or so. But he's not playing for the management, he's playing for the team, for the fans, for his supporters. It'd be a totally different story if he came out and said 'I think this team is not prepared to compete for the greatest challenges, I consider I deserve to take a look at other options'. I would respect that decision 100%, because the will to win would be the fuel for it. However, he was ready and willing to sign before the last salary adjustment was proposed, so that wasn't his main concern.

It's just money. It's just having a 10% more wealth when he retires. LIKE WTH MAN DDDDD Maybe I'm pushing this way too far, or got it completely wrong, but it's driving me crazy.

Can you imagine Dirk in 2016 saying 'Nah, screw it, i'm playing for the Hornets for 25M $ next season'. Or Duncan after 2014. Hell, it's worse than that, it's one of the greatests stars in SPORTS HISTORY. Top 3 ever in his profession at least. I dunno, maybe at the level of Jordan as a sports icon?

It's different from cases like Raúl, or Casillas, where they felt they could still play at a great level, but the club didn't so they left looking for minutes and chances. It's different from Ramos, because he didn't grow up playing for Real Madrid youth team, and he got to Madrid as a 19 year old.

Here, Leo, take 400,000,000 € from this random team instead of 250,000,000 € from your lifelong club, where you could retire as a legend. He's also leaving without a chance for the supporters to say goodbye on the pitch.

I feel like I could go on for hours.

[twyzted]

Well, I've been speechless since the news broke. Let's see if I got this correctly.

All reports state the main issue for the re-signing was fitting Messi's money into the new salary limits imposed by LaLiga. The proposition made by Barcelona's management was for Leo to earn 20M € this coming season, to help accommodate the new guys and ease the economic situation the club is undergoing. This would be rewarded by the club, granting him a salary raise up to 80M € for the following 22/23 season, totalling around 100M € for 2 seasons.

The new salary cap limitations made this deal impossible, and management asked Messi's father to lower a bit further the salary in the agreement. And this is where his father drew the line and said 'No.'

So, recapping and making it simple: dude left for money. He is the best, biggest, dearest and most defining and important player this club has ever had. He has stablished records and numbers no one will come close to in the next 80 years. He has worn that shirt for 20+ years. And he is leaving for money. A dude who has earned well over 1,000,000,000 euros during his professional career has decided not to push these numbers higher, not to keep fighting for the team of his entire life, for money.

I am certainly not able to speak from the perspective of a billionaire, so maybe I'm not suitable to decide if it is worth or not, but, from the outside, it definitely looks like going from 1.3B € to 1.6B € in total career earnings when it's all said and done is not worth leaving your lifelong team and abandoning the chance to stablish numbers that won't ever be matched.

Of course, Barcelona's management has been GODLY AWFUL for the last 5 years or so. But he's not playing for the management, he's playing for the team, for the fans, for his supporters. It'd be a totally different story if he came out and said 'I think this team is not prepared to compete for the greatest challenges, I consider I deserve to take a look at other options'. I would respect that decision 100%, because the will to win would be the fuel for it. However, he was ready and willing to sign before the last salary adjustment was proposed, so that wasn't his main concern.

It's just money. It's just having a 10% more wealth when he retires. LIKE WTH MAN DDDDD Maybe I'm pushing this way too far, or got it completely wrong, but it's driving me crazy.

Can you imagine Dirk in 2016 saying 'Nah, screw it, i'm playing for the Hornets for 25M $ next season'. Or Duncan after 2014. Hell, it's worse than that, it's one of the greatests stars in SPORTS HISTORY. Top 3 ever in his profession at least. I dunno, maybe at the level of Jordan as a sports icon?

It's different from cases like Raúl, or Casillas, where they felt they could still play at a great level, but the club didn't so they left looking for minutes and chances. It's different from Ramos, because he didn't grow up playing for Real Madrid youth team, and he got to Madrid as a 19 year old.

Here, Leo, take 400,000,000 € from this random team instead of 250,000,000 € from your lifelong club, where you could retire as a legend. He's also leaving without a chance for the supporters to say goodbye on the pitch.

I feel like I could go on for hours.

Barcelona cant sign messi to a new contract even if they would pay him 1 euro a year they can not sign him and register. Same goes for depay, aguero, emerson and eric garcia.

Barcelona wage cap has gone from 670m euros in 19/20 to 347m euros 20/21 to 200m euros for this season. They need to sell a lot of players before they could pay messi 1 euro per season and nobody wants to pay those players that high of salary they are earning at barca.

[God Squad]

PSG and Man City are the only clubs I can see going for it. Those clubs have unlimited money it seems. If I were Man City I would do it. They have the potential of surpassing Man Utd as a brand. In the last decade man city has dominated man utd and this move would put them on the global map even greater.

Money Talks , same way Brooklyn surpass Knicks with the exception Knicks didn’t dominated **** compared to Man United

Where? When? News to me

[DNP - Old]

Well, I've been speechless since the news broke. Let's see if I got this correctly.

All reports state the main issue for the re-signing was fitting Messi's money into the new salary limits imposed by LaLiga. The proposition made by Barcelona's management was for Leo to earn 20M € this coming season, to help accommodate the new guys and ease the economic situation the club is undergoing. This would be rewarded by the club, granting him a salary raise up to 80M € for the following 22/23 season, totalling around 100M € for 2 seasons.

The new salary cap limitations made this deal impossible, and management asked Messi's father to lower a bit further the salary in the agreement. And this is where his father drew the line and said 'No.'

So, recapping and making it simple: dude left for money. He is the best, biggest, dearest and most defining and important player this club has ever had. He has stablished records and numbers no one will come close to in the next 80 years. He has worn that shirt for 20+ years. And he is leaving for money. A dude who has earned well over 1,000,000,000 euros during his professional career has decided not to push these numbers higher, not to keep fighting for the team of his entire life, for money.

I am certainly not able to speak from the perspective of a billionaire, so maybe I'm not suitable to decide if it is worth or not, but, from the outside, it definitely looks like going from 1.3B € to 1.6B € in total career earnings when it's all said and done is not worth leaving your lifelong team and abandoning the chance to stablish numbers that won't ever be matched.

Of course, Barcelona's management has been GODLY AWFUL for the last 5 years or so. But he's not playing for the management, he's playing for the team, for the fans, for his supporters. It'd be a totally different story if he came out and said 'I think this team is not prepared to compete for the greatest challenges, I consider I deserve to take a look at other options'. I would respect that decision 100%, because the will to win would be the fuel for it. However, he was ready and willing to sign before the last salary adjustment was proposed, so that wasn't his main concern.

It's just money. It's just having a 10% more wealth when he retires. LIKE WTH MAN DDDDD Maybe I'm pushing this way too far, or got it completely wrong, but it's driving me crazy.

Can you imagine Dirk in 2016 saying 'Nah, screw it, i'm playing for the Hornets for 25M $ next season'. Or Duncan after 2014. Hell, it's worse than that, it's one of the greatests stars in SPORTS HISTORY. Top 3 ever in his profession at least. I dunno, maybe at the level of Jordan as a sports icon?

It's different from cases like Raúl, or Casillas, where they felt they could still play at a great level, but the club didn't so they left looking for minutes and chances. It's different from Ramos, because he didn't grow up playing for Real Madrid youth team, and he got to Madrid as a 19 year old.

Here, Leo, take 400,000,000 € from this random team instead of 250,000,000 € from your lifelong club, where you could retire as a legend. He's also leaving without a chance for the supporters to say goodbye on the pitch.

I feel like I could go on for hours.

Barcelona cant sign messi to a new contract even if they would pay him 1 euro a year they can not sign him and register. Same goes for depay, aguero, emerson and eric garcia.

Barcelona wage cap has gone from 670m euros in 19/20 to 347m euros 20/21 to 200m euros for this season. They need to sell a lot of players before they could pay messi 1 euro per season and nobody wants to pay those players that high of salary they are earning at barca.

Hmmm, maybe I got all completely wrong.

However, I'm still reading reports that there were options to re-sign, but it was nearly impossible economically, due to high salary.

I'll look into the matter.

[Dominator83]

Perhaps but I think PSG already have two of the 4 most famous football players in the world in Neymar and Mbappe and the overall view of Ligue 1 hasn't changed too much since they were acquired.

Once there is more competition in the league, people will be more interested in tuning in. Until then, it will just be PSG steam rolling over the entire league.

Perhaps Messi will be the catalyst.

Messi on psg is just insane. No one in Ligue 1 would stand any chance. Club football really needs a better fair play rule

Perhaps it will get so bad (with Messi) that the League will have to step in and do something about the lack of competition.

Basketball reasons

[Message Boar]

Messi is going nowhere lol

For anyone who follows football, this is a stand off between a firm called CDC (which invested 3.2bln in La Liga) and La Liga themselves. It's basically a money thing, and they're waiting to see who folds first.

Messi is the biggest advertisement in the world, no-one is giving that up for free

True, it could definitely be a bargaining move, though damn what a drastic one (which devastates your own fanbase) this would be. To my understanding it's more a conflict between Barcelona themselves and La Liga (with their new investors in tow), but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[fteru6uhre54ew]

Well, I've been speechless since the news broke. Let's see if I got this correctly.

All reports state the main issue for the re-signing was fitting Messi's money into the new salary limits imposed by LaLiga. The proposition made by Barcelona's management was for Leo to earn 20M € this coming season, to help accommodate the new guys and ease the economic situation the club is undergoing. This would be rewarded by the club, granting him a salary raise up to 80M € for the following 22/23 season, totalling around 100M € for 2 seasons.

The new salary cap limitations made this deal impossible, and management asked Messi's father to lower a bit further the salary in the agreement. And this is where his father drew the line and said 'No.'

So, recapping and making it simple: dude left for money. He is the best, biggest, dearest and most defining and important player this club has ever had. He has stablished records and numbers no one will come close to in the next 80 years. He has worn that shirt for 20+ years. And he is leaving for money. A dude who has earned well over 1,000,000,000 euros during his professional career has decided not to push these numbers higher, not to keep fighting for the team of his entire life, for money.

I am certainly not able to speak from the perspective of a billionaire, so maybe I'm not suitable to decide if it is worth or not, but, from the outside, it definitely looks like going from 1.3B € to 1.6B € in total career earnings when it's all said and done is not worth leaving your lifelong team and abandoning the chance to stablish numbers that won't ever be matched.

Of course, Barcelona's management has been GODLY AWFUL for the last 5 years or so. But he's not playing for the management, he's playing for the team, for the fans, for his supporters. It'd be a totally different story if he came out and said 'I think this team is not prepared to compete for the greatest challenges, I consider I deserve to take a look at other options'. I would respect that decision 100%, because the will to win would be the fuel for it. However, he was ready and willing to sign before the last salary adjustment was proposed, so that wasn't his main concern.

It's just money. It's just having a 10% more wealth when he retires. LIKE WTH MAN DDDDD Maybe I'm pushing this way too far, or got it completely wrong, but it's driving me crazy.

Can you imagine Dirk in 2016 saying 'Nah, screw it, i'm playing for the Hornets for 25M $ next season'. Or Duncan after 2014. Hell, it's worse than that, it's one of the greatests stars in SPORTS HISTORY. Top 3 ever in his profession at least. I dunno, maybe at the level of Jordan as a sports icon?

It's different from cases like Raúl, or Casillas, where they felt they could still play at a great level, but the club didn't so they left looking for minutes and chances. It's different from Ramos, because he didn't grow up playing for Real Madrid youth team, and he got to Madrid as a 19 year old.

Here, Leo, take 400,000,000 € from this random team instead of 250,000,000 € from your lifelong club, where you could retire as a legend. He's also leaving without a chance for the supporters to say goodbye on the pitch.

I feel like I could go on for hours.

Well Messi literally has leave it Barcelona bankrupt we all know this here in Spain since at least a couple years that this is going to happen they made this guy bigger than his club. More funny is that is was a waste because he is not close to be a player to make his team win the CL since at least 5 years. When he was playing versus good teams he looked like a random player in the last two or three years. This guy was speaking for a renew every year he has it a 100m contract no one player in close to that and it's impossible to pay that every year without lose a lot of money more when they were signing guys for crazy numbers like Coutinho, Dembele or Griezmann and clubs like Barcelona or Madrid aren't a sports corporation with a rich guy behind them like all the PL teams or PSG those clubs belong to her partners the presidents of those clubs only endorse those teams but they can't put money of his own pocket. Ronaldo was winning 40m for Real Madrid as a example. Barcelona at the end is going to end being another sports corporation because they are totally broked

He didn't going to win less money. It was the same contract that he had before 100 millions of euros for 5 years but different. Barcelona and Messi are tried to cheat the system only playing for Barcelona the two first season and only counting those two season before that he was going to play in USA with Barcelona still paying him the next 3 years but that's impossible they have to pay the taxes of all the contract to the tax authorities of Spain and La Liga.

Raul or Casillas coudn't play at a great level when they leave they were washed that's why the fans wanted to get rid of them because they still wanted to be the best player and start every game when they were hurting his team, Real Madrid is not like Barcelona they are the biggest club in the history and no one player is bigger than that club. Casillas almost lost the CL for them in Lisboa.

[DNP - Old]

Well Messi literally has leave it Barcelona bankrupt we all know this here in Spain since at least a couple years that this is going to happen they made this guy bigger than his club. More funny is that is was a waste because he is not close to be a player to make his team win the CL since at least 5 years. When he was playing versus good teams he looked like a random player in the last two or three years. This guy was speaking for a renew every year he has it a 100m contract no one player in close to that and it's impossible to pay that every year without lose a lot of money more when they were signing guys for crazy numbers like Coutinho, Dembele or Griezmann and clubs like Barcelona or Madrid aren't a sports corporation with a rich guy behind them like all the PL teams or PSG those clubs belong to her partners the presidents of those clubs only endorse those teams but they can't put money of his own pocket. Ronaldo was winning 40m for Real Madrid as a example. Barcelona at the end is going to end being another sports corporation because they are totally broked

He didn't going to win less money. It was the same contract that he had before 100 millions of euros for 5 years but different. Barcelona and Messi are tried to cheat the system only playing for Barcelona the two first season and only counting those two season before that he was going to play in USA with Barcelona still paying him the next 3 years but that's impossible they have to pay the taxes of all the contract to the tax authorities of Spain and La Liga.

Raul or Casillas coudn't play at a great level when they leave they were washed that's why the fans wanted to get rid of them because they still wanted to be the best player and start every game when they were hurting his team, Real Madrid is not like Barcelona they are the biggest club in the history and no one player is bigger than that club. Casillas almost lost the CL for them in Lisboa.

I don't think this is close to being true, but I get what you say. Things got out of hand with his father AFAIK.

[fteru6uhre54ew]

Well Messi literally has leave it Barcelona bankrupt we all know this here in Spain since at least a couple years that this is going to happen they made this guy bigger than his club. More funny is that is was a waste because he is not close to be a player to make his team win the CL since at least 5 years. When he was playing versus good teams he looked like a random player in the last two or three years. This guy was speaking for a renew every year he has it a 100m contract no one player in close to that and it's impossible to pay that every year without lose a lot of money more when they were signing guys for crazy numbers like Coutinho, Dembele or Griezmann and clubs like Barcelona or Madrid aren't a sports corporation with a rich guy behind them like all the PL teams or PSG those clubs belong to her partners the presidents of those clubs only endorse those teams but they can't put money of his own pocket. Ronaldo was winning 40m for Real Madrid as a example. Barcelona at the end is going to end being another sports corporation because they are totally broked

He didn't going to win less money. It was the same contract that he had before 100 millions of euros for 5 years but different. Barcelona and Messi are tried to cheat the system only playing for Barcelona the two first season and only counting those two season before that he was going to play in USA with Barcelona still paying him the next 3 years but that's impossible they have to pay the taxes of all the contract to the tax authorities of Spain and La Liga.

Raul or Casillas coudn't play at a great level when they leave they were washed that's why the fans wanted to get rid of them because they still wanted to be the best player and start every game when they were hurting his team, Real Madrid is not like Barcelona they are the biggest club in the history and no one player is bigger than that club. Casillas almost lost the CL for them in Lisboa.

I don't think this is close to being true, but I get what you say. Things got out of hand with his father AFAIK.

It close trust me i read all the news here and what the people close to them and Barcelona say and wouldn't be the first time that Barcelona and Messi are tried to do this they are tried to do all to sign them. Messi and his familiy has been trying to cheat the tax authorities more than once time if he made that again he would be in jail.

Laporta now has say it that Barcelona has a debt of 500 millions of Euros

[DNP - Old]

Well Messi literally has leave it Barcelona bankrupt we all know this here in Spain since at least a couple years that this is going to happen they made this guy bigger than his club. More funny is that is was a waste because he is not close to be a player to make his team win the CL since at least 5 years. When he was playing versus good teams he looked like a random player in the last two or three years. This guy was speaking for a renew every year he has it a 100m contract no one player in close to that and it's impossible to pay that every year without lose a lot of money more when they were signing guys for crazy numbers like Coutinho, Dembele or Griezmann and clubs like Barcelona or Madrid aren't a sports corporation with a rich guy behind them like all the PL teams or PSG those clubs belong to her partners the presidents of those clubs only endorse those teams but they can't put money of his own pocket. Ronaldo was winning 40m for Real Madrid as a example. Barcelona at the end is going to end being another sports corporation because they are totally broked

He didn't going to win less money. It was the same contract that he had before 100 millions of euros for 5 years but different. Barcelona and Messi are tried to cheat the system only playing for Barcelona the two first season and only counting those two season before that he was going to play in USA with Barcelona still paying him the next 3 years but that's impossible they have to pay the taxes of all the contract to the tax authorities of Spain and La Liga.

Raul or Casillas coudn't play at a great level when they leave they were washed that's why the fans wanted to get rid of them because they still wanted to be the best player and start every game when they were hurting his team, Real Madrid is not like Barcelona they are the biggest club in the history and no one player is bigger than that club. Casillas almost lost the CL for them in Lisboa.

I don't think this is close to being true, but I get what you say. Things got out of hand with his father AFAIK.

It close trust me i read all the news here and what the people close to them and Barcelona say and wouldn't be the first time that Barcelona and Messi are tried to do this. Messi and his familiy has been trying to cheat the tax authorities more than once time talk about how are them the people here **** paying a lot of taxes and them don't trying to pay the taxes being more than rich if he made that again he would be in jail.

Yeah, I understand, I also read the news here in Spain I meant I disagreed with the bolded part, about him not being top level.

The Messi family are financial terrorists, that's undeniable.

[fteru6uhre54ew]

I don't think this is close to being true, but I get what you say. Things got out of hand with his father AFAIK.

It close trust me i read all the news here and what the people close to them and Barcelona say and wouldn't be the first time that Barcelona and Messi are tried to do this. Messi and his familiy has been trying to cheat the tax authorities more than once time talk about how are them the people here **** paying a lot of taxes and them don't trying to pay the taxes being more than rich if he made that again he would be in jail.

Yeah, I understand, I also read the news here in Spain I meant I disagreed with the bolded part, about him not being top level.

The Messi family are financial terrorists, that's undeniable.

Oh i didn't see that u are from Spain lol sorry.

Well for me he is not close but far not close to earn that money. In La Liga maybe he can score a lot of goals versus the weak teams but when he play versus good teams he is not a factor at all and he is not close to what he was for a lot goals he scores in La Liga in the CL he didn't do anything in the last 5 or 6 years. When he play versus good teams he look like he lost a lot as a player his speed his dribble he isn't look scary like a decade ago.

[DNP - Old]

It close trust me i read all the news here and what the people close to them and Barcelona say and wouldn't be the first time that Barcelona and Messi are tried to do this. Messi and his familiy has been trying to cheat the tax authorities more than once time talk about how are them the people here **** paying a lot of taxes and them don't trying to pay the taxes being more than rich if he made that again he would be in jail.

Yeah, I understand, I also read the news here in Spain I meant I disagreed with the bolded part, about him not being top level.

The Messi family are financial terrorists, that's undeniable.

Oh i didn't see that u are from Spain lol sorry.

Well for me he is not close but far not close to earn that money. In La Liga maybe he can score a lot of goals versus the weak teams but when he play versus good teams he is not a factor at all and he is not close to what he was for a lot goals he scores in La Liga in the CL he didn't do anything in the last 5 or 6 years. When he play versus good teams he look like he lost a lot as a player his speed his dribble he isn't look scary like a decade ago.

I understand what you say and respect your opinion. Don't think it's true though, it's a team sport and Barça's team has sucked these past years. He has played really weak in key matches, and ofc he doesn't deserve to be earning 100M€, but he's still one of the best in the world, denying that is just wrong.

[BadWolf]

Spoiler:

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[jezzerinho]

It would have been cool for Messi to have been a one-club player, but:

The club can't afford him at his level of wage demands
The club is totally hamstrung by the appalling salary management and player acquisition strategy of the previous regime
He goes through stretches of still playing at a very high level, but at the CL level it's never enough to compensate.

His presence on the team forces the whole game to go through him and for Barça to play tiki taka against massively crowded boxes. CL teams and even La Liga teams have figured out how to beat them and with Messi on the field there has been no Plan B since Luis Enrique and Neymar days.

In short, his time is up. Sad, but necessary if Barça is to move forward and not spin wheels for the next few years.

[Apz]

Time to remove the special rule a few clubs in spain got back in the day to still be member owned. If it wasnt for the popularity contest to become president in those clubs their eceonomy wouldbt be ****. To be elected they have to promise and spend big on big names. And all of a sudden u got close to $2b debt. Ive said fir 10 years that this cant work in the long run. Ive seen great clubs burn before as Ive been following deportivo la coruna for like 25 years, and I must say im worried about barca tbh. They need to get money in and lessen their wage bill, but their players are overpayed so no team is willing to pay them what they want and since the players value is in the books, they cant just give them away since it lowers the clubs asset value.

Dont think la liga dares to declare them bankrupt like la coruna or fiorentina and have them restart in 3rd division but who knows? Barca cant threaten them withcreating a superleague anymore so think both they and madrid need to step lightly the upcoming years. They bern a bit too cocky last 10 years

[CallMeKahn]

Last I saw, Messi was negotiating with a club in Paris that was pulling a Nets and already got a couple other nice players out of nowhere. Then again, I don't follow association football/soccer like I should, so probably was wrong on that in some way.

[Milenkovic]

Messi is going nowhere lol

For anyone who follows football, this is a stand off between a firm called CDC (which invested 3.2bln in La Liga) and La Liga themselves. It's basically a money thing, and they're waiting to see who folds first.

Messi is the biggest advertisement in the world, no-one is giving that up for free

Are you still in denial? Messi is gone from Barcelona.

JOAN LAPORTA'S PRESS CONFERENCE

Watch on YouTube

I couldn't care less about Barca, but everyone knows they're been at loggerheads with La Ligageu.

Basically the league has a cap on how much salary can be paid within a club. Barcelona are currently exceeding that with Messi, and even with him taking a 50% pay cut, they are exceeding it.

CDC who invested like I said 3.2bln into La Liga are involved also, because they don't want to see their investment dry up (an alternative to the Super League). Basically La Liga and Barca are just messing about with one another till someone caves. Please quote me in the future if I am wrong

[Cactus Jack]

Last I saw, Messi was negotiating with a club in Paris that was pulling a Nets and already got a couple other nice players out of nowhere. Then again, I don't follow association football/soccer like I should, so probably was wrong on that in some way.

Fairly accurate actually.

[ABucksFan]

Can you imagine Dirk in 2016 saying 'Nah, screw it, i'm playing for the Hornets for 25M $ next season'. Or Duncan after 2014. Hell, it's worse than that, it's one of the greatests stars in SPORTS HISTORY. Top 3 ever in his profession at least. I dunno, maybe at the level of Jordan as a sports icon?

$300M is very different from $25M. Messi has paid his dues to Barca and owes them nothing. Piss Poor management yet they want Messi to take a cut to help for their mistakes? Nahh.

[Freighttrain]

Not sure if that money is worth it when you're already generationally rich. Greed can be the thief of joy. He could land in a spot, whether that be PSG, City or a third unknown club, and have regrets for the rest of his life.