Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos are both seriously considering leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer after the club put their contract talks on hold amid offers from Saudi Arabia.
The French giants have concerns they will face fresh Champions League sanctions for further Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches after being hit with a €10million fine for their 2020-21 season accounts with a €45m suspended fine for future breaches.
The French league leaders were dumped out of the competition with a tame three-goal aggregate loss against Bayern Munich earlier this month. Now, they are aiming to restructure their squad to drastically reduce outgoings and comply with financial regulations.
A detailed report in L’Equipe has not only outlined PSG’s wage budget but added that negotiations with Messi and Ramos are now at a precarious stage. In order to avoid further FFP punishments – which would be both financial and sporting – the club must reconsider their wage structure.
The report adds that both players will need to accept a wage reduction if they are to continue at the Parc des Princes beyond the current campaign and that becomes problematic because neither star is willing to countenance such an outcome.
To make the situation even more precarious, it is claimed that Ramos has been offered a salary package that would multiply his current salary four times by an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia, while Messi has a proposal from Saudi club Al-Hilal which would make him the best paid player in the world.
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The monthly wages figures for both players stands at €3.375m for Messi and €791,600 for Ramos, two figures which are not sustainable for PSG due to their long-term wage commitments to other stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
PSG have a shortage of central defenders but do have a deal in place to sign Milan Skriniar from Inter this summer and he could de facto act as a replacement for Ramos, but the Spaniard’s experience, leadership qualities and performances on the pitch all act in his favour with the club’s hierarchy.
As for Messi, his absence is less keenly felt due to the presence of Mbappe and Neymar while the Argentine’s exit could allow PSG to solidify their midfield and become more compact. However, his marketing value and attacking output are still viewed as irreplaceable.
