Football news: Bayern Munich Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: I laughed when I saw Lionel Messi's contract

ByAlexander Netherton

Published 16/02/2021 at 12:40 GMT

Bayern Munich executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has claimed that he laughed when he saw the details of Barcelona striker Lionel Messi's salary with the Catalan club. The 33-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to agree to a new deal. He has been linked with a free transfer to Manchester City and other European clubs but a move to Germany seems unlikely.

Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has dismissed any move for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and suggested that his salary, and those in football generally, are unrealistic.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit football finances hard as clubs are denied their ticket revenue amid a ban or huge reduction in spectators at sporting events, and there have been problems fulfilling television broadcast obligations as a result of the suspension or cancellation of games in 2020.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Correire della Sera, Rummenigge was nevertheless happy for Messi that he was able to secure such a generous salary from Barcelona, with stories suggesting he earned £122 million a season.

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The 33-year-old Argentine’s contract is due to end this summer, with negotiations over a renewal dependent on who wins the presidential elections in the coming months.

The 65-year-old German said: "I laughed when I saw Messi's contract with Barcelona... I can only say congrats to him for obtaining an astronomical contract. But this salary situation needs to be changed."

Meanwhile, Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Bayern Munich’s defender David Alaba, also out of contract at the end of the season, is set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer, though no move has been finalised.

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