Barcelona's Lionel Messi (R) controls the ball during the Spanish Copa del Rey match against Celta Vigo on January 11, 2018. Photo: AFP
Lionel Messi, who recently penned a lucrative new contract with Barcelona, could comfortably earn more than 100 million euros every year, according to a report released by France-based Mediapart.
Journalists from European Investigation Collaborations (EIC) claimed to have seen the details of the updated contract signed by Messi on November 25.
According to the report, Messi is guaranteed around 70 million euros a year in salary and image rights with more coming from a 63.5 million euro signing bonus and 70 million euro "loyalty bonus" for the period of the contract which stretches to 2021.
The mind-boggling deal, revealed as part of "Football Leaks" was to offset an approach for the Argentine from great rivals Real Madrid.
The group claimed that in June 2013, an email exchange between the player's lawyer Inigo Juarez and his father Jorge, explained that Real were prepared to shell out the 250 million euro release clause that Messi commanded.
