Barcaleaks: PSG earned 700 mn euros following Messi's arrival; does this justify his demands to Barcelona?

Legendary striker Lionel Messi's alleged contractual demands to a cash-strapped Barcelona in 2020 have snowballed into a massive controversy, with the Catalan club considering taking legal action after the details were leaked on Wednesday. Due to Barcelona's financial difficulties, the Argentine superstar departed the club for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a free transfer last summer. However, there had been rumours about his departure even a year earlier because he and the team reportedly couldn't come to terms on a new contract for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

On Wednesday, Spanish media house El Mundo leaked the alleged demands Messi laid down in his 2020 negotiations, which included private Camp Nou boxes for his family and that of former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez, the effective elimination of a release clause, a 10 million euros renewal bonus and more.

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While Messi's apparent demands and the money involved might be surprising given the financial condition of Barcelona after the Covid-19 pandemic, they appear to be justified when compared with what the iconic striker has generated for PSG since he arrived at Parc des Princes. The Argentine legend's arrival directly impacted the Ligue 1 champion's image and income, with the player reportedly generating an obscene amount of 700 million euros in just one year.

El Economista, an Argentine publication, claims that Messi's transfer to PSG brought in up to ten new sponsors, with sponsorship fees rising from about 3 million to 8 million euros. Well-known companies like Dior, Gorillas, Crypto.com, PlayBetR, GOAT, Snart Good Thins, Volt, Big Cola, Sports Water, and Autohero are among these sponsors. PSG's sponsorship agreement with Nike, which will last until 2032, alone generates about 75 million euros annually.

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Messi's popularity also resulted in a sharp rise in the sales of PSG shirts. More than 60 per cent of the more than one million units PSG sold, with prices ranging from 90 to 160 euros each, included the Argentine talisman's name on the back.

A few months ago, Marc Armstrong, PSG's Business Director, explained Messi's arrival at the club. "The demand has grown between 30 per cent and 40 per cent and all that can slow it down is the supply. When one of these transfers takes place, people think that it is paid for by selling shirts, and it's not quite like that. You can't produce a lot of extra shirts. The deal is made to cover a minimum, which is very important, but you can't satisfy all the demand for Messi shirts," he had stated.

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The French club's social media following significantly increased in response to Messi's arrival. PSG now has more than 150 million followers after adding more than 15 million new ones. The Ligue 1 champions reportedly added 1.4 million followers every week, crossed 10 million on Tik Tok, and rose to the top spot among businesses in France on Instagram. The numbers unequivocally demonstrate the former Barcelona legend's value to the French team off the field and showcase that perhaps Barcelona's loss was PSG's gain, literally.

Meanwhile, Barcelona has responded to leaks and is far from pleased that they were published, so much so that they're keen to take legal action. "In relation to the information published in El Mundo under the title 'Barca Leaks, the club's secret files', Barcelona express indignation at the intentional leaking of information that is part of a legal process," the La Liga club said in a statement.

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"The club regrets that the media in question boasts of having 'access to a huge number of documents and emails that are part of the Barcagate investigation" when this information is yet to be shared. In any case, the article in question makes public documents that have nothing to do with the ongoing case and their use is an affront to the reputation and confidentiality of the club. For that reason, and with the aim of protecting Barcelona's rights, the club's legal department are studying the legal measures that need to be taken," Barcelona's statement concluded.