"A few weeks after Neymar's departure, rumours began to circulate that a club was preparing €400 million for Messi - the amount of his release clause."
"Funds from an Arab country were transferred to accounts in Europe."
"There was a team willing to pay €400 million. I don't want to name names, but it wasn't [Manchester] City."
"What we did was talk to Lionel Messi and his father and discuss the matter: we had to raise the release clause."
After Neymar's departure, Barcelona's former president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed that rumors emerged about a club preparing to pay €400 million for Lionel Messi. Bartomeu noted that funds from an Arab country were involved, indicating significant financial power. Although he did not disclose the club's identity, he confirmed it was not Manchester City. To counter this threat, Barcelona raised Messi's release clause from €400 million to €700 million, ensuring their star player remained with the club.
Read at Barca Universal
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