With FC Barcelona still conjuring up plans to sign Lionel Messi, the huge salary they are willing to offer the Argentine has now reportedly been revealed.
Following the past week's events, it seems the race to sign the 35-year-old is deadlocked between two teams, Al Hilal and Barca.
Read: Argentina boss reveals stance on where Messi should go
Various reports have suggested that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's time at Paris Saint-Germain is all but over after he was suspended by the club for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia but later reinstated following a public apology.
His father Jorge Messi, who is also his agent, recently denied claims that his son was certain to join the Saudi Arabian outfit and stated that no agreement had been signed, contrary to reports.
His dad also insisted that an official decision will only be made after the 2022/23 season concludes, but that has not stopped speculation around the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner's future.
With the Blaugrana understood to be desperate to bring back their all-time record goalscorer after two seasons in France, the Catalan giants have now seemingly decided the wages they are willing to give the Argentina captain.
According to French publication L'Equipe, Barcelona are ready to pay Messi €23 million (R484 million) a season to secure his return, a surprising amount considering their dire financial situation.
It is understood they will only be able to afford this if they are able to sell a number of their first-team stars, such as Ansu Fati, Raphinha and Franck Kessie, among other cost-cutting measures.
The abovementioned salary would put him behind only Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets as the side's current best earners, per Capology, although the latter will not be at the Camp Nou next season after his planned exit was confirmed this week.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas affirmed on Thursday that Busquets' exit could mark the start of the process for Messi's sensational return to Catalonia.
"Busquets' departure is the beginning of the road for Messi to return," the outspoken Spanish executive told Cope.
"But to reach the end, they still have to walk many meters. I'm not the one to give them the green light, it will be their economic control."
Read: SAFA scout: Why SA players return from overseas early
The salary Messi could earn at Barcelona is tiny compared to what he could reportedly get in Saudi Arabia, where he is said to have been offered a record contract worth more than €400 million (R8.4 billion) a year, but with his apparent desire to stay in Europe, a return to the Camp Nou could yet transpire.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH: