Lionel Messi turned down
the chance to become by far and away the best paid player on the planet
last summer when the Chinese Super League failed in an attempt to coax
him away from Barcelona.
According
to Mundo Deportivo, officials from the big-spending division extended
an offer in the region of €100million-a-year (£88m) to the Argentine, a
wage that would have seen him take home £1.7m every week.
But despite the incredible financial package put forward, Messi chose to stay with the Spanish club and put pen-to-paper on a deal that extended his stay at the Nou Camp until 2021 last November.
That new deal saw him become one of the best paid players on the planet regardless with a basic wage of £500,000-a-week before loyalty bonuses and image rights.
However, the CSL have not given up their dream of convincing the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to see out the twilight days of his career in the Far East.
The same report suggests several clubs are financially strong enough to meet his €700m (£622m) release clause and pay a lucrative package in the region of the aforementioned offer.
But
having already turned down £88m-a-year, however, CSL officials
understand that no amount of money is likely to convince Messi and they
are now drawing up a plan to win his affections in other ways.
Bringing Messi's international team-mates Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Mascherano to the division was seen as a good first step in what is likely to be a long courtship.
Mascherano joined Hebei China Fortune from Barcelona last month while Lavezzi has been at the same club since 2016 after a big-money move from Paris Saint-Germain.
But despite the incredible financial package put forward, Messi chose to stay with the Spanish club and put pen-to-paper on a deal that extended his stay at the Nou Camp until 2021 last November.
That new deal saw him become one of the best paid players on the planet regardless with a basic wage of £500,000-a-week before loyalty bonuses and image rights.
However, the CSL have not given up their dream of convincing the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to see out the twilight days of his career in the Far East.
The same report suggests several clubs are financially strong enough to meet his €700m (£622m) release clause and pay a lucrative package in the region of the aforementioned offer.
Bringing Messi's international team-mates Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Mascherano to the division was seen as a good first step in what is likely to be a long courtship.
Mascherano joined Hebei China Fortune from Barcelona last month while Lavezzi has been at the same club since 2016 after a big-money move from Paris Saint-Germain.
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