FC Barcelona reportedly have a new highest earned for the upcoming season.
FC Barcelona have a new highest earner in their first team squad for the 2023/2024 season, as has been indicated in reports from MARCA in Spain and Ara in Catalonia.
Lionel Messi was believed to be on his way to assuming this prestigious title had he returned to Barca for a second spell when his Paris Saint-Germain contract was nearing expiry.
Barca prepared an offer of €25 million ($27.8 million) per year for the Argentine on a two-season contract, according to SPORT.
Yet the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner chose not to wait for the Blaugrana to get their house in order and jump over their Financial Fair Play hurdles, and opted for a move to Inter Miami where he has already made two scoring appearances.
As explained by the MLS franchise's co-owner Jorge Mas to to Spanish newspaper El Pais, Messi will earn "between $50 and $60 million per year" in Fort Lauderdale before expected revenue from Apple
Back at Barca, Robert Lewandowski was expected to be the highest earner in the squad. According to MARCA, Lewandowski earned €10 million ($11.1 million) in 2022/2023, which was his first season after joining from Bayern Munich and will take home €13 million ($14 million) next term.
Yet there is a new sheriff in town in Frenkie de Jong, who last week pipped Lewandowsk in becoming one of four appointed first team captains too.
In the upcoming 2023/2024 campaign, De Jong has a guaranteed €28 million ($31.5 million) coming his way made up of €18 million ($20.2 million) in his regularly salary he and amounts he deferred during the pandemic, plus a bonus of €9.7 million ($11 million).
Should De Jong play at least 60% of Barca's matches - something highly likely with Sergio Busquets having left Xavi's defensive midfield to join Messi at Inter Miami - De Jong is due an addition €2 million ($2.2 million) which will bring his total pay packet to €30 million ($33.6 million).
When 2024/2025 arrives, however, Lewandowski will be top dog again with wages of €16 million ($17.25 million) before he drops back down to €13 million ($14 million) in 2025/2026.
By then, one of Barca's budding stars such as Pedri, Gavi or Ronald Araujo could have signed bumper contract extensions, or De Jong himself could have returned to the summit by renewing terms himself.
De Jong's current deal expires in June 2026, but there have already been reports from SPORT of the club trying to extend him and reduce his pay.