Messi’s on the market... at, er, £312MILLION!

LOLLY GOSH ... Messi is making serious bucks

LIONEL MESSI would now cost Manchester City or Chelsea a mind-blowing £312MILLION.

The world’s best player has agreed a new six-year deal with Barcelona worth an estimated £17m a year gross until 2018. 

That totals an amazing £102m in wages. Add in his £210m get-out clause and the total package is £312m.
And that is only if the man many already acclaim as the greatest footballer of all time accepts to move to Manchester City or Chelsea WITHOUT a pay rise. 

Realistically, though, the chance of Messi, 25, ever coming to an English club appears to be zero. 

Midfield maestro Xavi, 32, and inspirational skipper Carles Puyol, 34, have also both agreed new deals. 

Barca director Toni Freixa said: “Puyol, Messi and Xavi are three basic pillars. It was absolutely necessary to have our principal pieces tied to the club. 

“It’s a great satisfaction for the board to give continuity to our project with these new deals.”
Messi was earning around £10m a year gross in his last contract, plus an extra 30 per cent which was performance-related. 

But his new deal will cost Barcelona a lot more because of new tax laws in Spain. 

Instead of 24 per cent tax, the Catalans will now pay up to 52 per cent on Messi’s salary — which means they will have to shell out a huge amount more in order to give him even a modest net pay rise. 

Barca remained tight-lipped about the terms of the deal last night. Talks were not straightforward as they have lasted the best part of four months. 

But Barca president Sandro Rosell was desperate not to be the man who messed up Messi. 

The Argentina hero has already spent 12 years at the club after joining as a precocious kid. 

This is the sixth time he has renewed his contract, signing a two-year extension to his previous deal which ran until 2016. 

Messi has scored a record-breaking 90 goals for club and country in 2012. He also set a new La Liga record last season with 50 goals. 

Despite the loss of celebrated chief Pep Guardiola, Barcelona are enjoying the best start ever in La Liga under new boss Tito Vilanova — they have won 15 games out of 16 and sit nine points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid.