The reunion with his former Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, played a pivotal role in Messi’s decision-making process. Speculations ran wild, with reports suggesting that Manchester City had offered a substantial contract, complete with a release clause, to lure Messi away from his lifelong club.
At that juncture, Manchester City was prepared to break the bank, willing to commit a staggering £430 million to acquire Messi’s services. According to The Sun, the club was ready to pay Messi this colossal sum over a five-year period. Notably, just six months earlier, they had enticed the Argentine with a jaw-dropping five-year contract worth a total of £600 million.
With Messi’s contract at Barcelona set to expire at the end of the 2020/21 season, Manchester City had a golden opportunity to secure his services without paying a hefty transfer fee. Additionally, the prospect of reuniting with his mentor, Pep Guardiola, at Manchester City added allure to the move.
At the time, Messi was the highest-paid player at Barcelona, consistently earning £500,000 per week (equivalent to £26 million per season). In a remarkable show of solidarity with the club, he and his teammates had voluntarily taken a pay cut in November of the previous year to alleviate Barcelona’s financial burden.
However, as time progressed, Manchester City’s offer lost some of its luster. An additional season at Barcelona meant that Messi would remain in Spain for another year, which did not align with Manchester City’s immediate plans. Furthermore, at 34 years old, Messi was well aware that the twilight of his career was fast approaching.
But ultimately, all these discussions and negotiations amounted to nothing as a legal dispute between Messi and Barcelona over his release clause intensified. Barcelona and La Liga remained adamant that the release clause in Messi’s contract was valid, insisting that Manchester City would have to pay a substantial fee to secure his services.
Yet, in a surprising turn of events, an undisclosed reason emerged, one known only to Messi’s closest confidants. It was none other than Messi’s wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, who stood in the way of his departure from Barcelona.
Antonella was determined that Messi stay and help resurrect Barcelona’s fortunes, keeping his promise to deliver a coveted Champions League title to the passionate Barça fans, known as “CULES.”
This unwavering commitment was what ultimately led Messi to extend his stay at Barcelona for another year. However, in August 2021, he officially bid farewell to the club after they were unable to uphold his contract due to financial constraints. Subsequently, Messi embarked on a new journey, joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), diverging from his initially intended path to Manchester City.
