Lionel Messi 400 million offer emerged in 2017, according to former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, shortly after Neymar left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in a record-breaking transfer.
Bartomeu says Barcelona quickly realized the situation could escalate. Neymar’s €222 million move had already shifted the market. Internally, the fear was simple. If one club could pay that much for Neymar, another could try an even bigger move for Messi.
Neymar’s exit in August 2017 did more than weaken Barcelona on the pitch. It changed how clubs valued top players.
Bartomeu explained that the club received information suggesting an unnamed team was preparing to activate Messi’s €400 million release clause. The club never confirmed who it was, but the warning was taken seriously inside Barcelona.
At that moment, Messi was not just a star player. He was the core of the team’s identity, performance, and global influence.
Barcelona’s response was direct. They moved quickly to secure a new contract with Messi before any formal approach could happen.
In November 2017, Messi signed a new deal that increased his release clause to €700 million.
Bartomeu described the decision as a necessity rather than a negotiation tactic. The goal was not to set a market price. It was to make any potential transfer practically impossible.
He explained that if clubs were willing to pay €222 million for Neymar, then €400 million for Messi was not unrealistic in their view. Barcelona did not want to take that risk.
Bartomeu also noted that Messi’s salary under the renewal was considered reasonable within the club’s structure, especially given his performance impact both on and off the field.
The message from Barcelona was clear. Retaining Messi mattered more than short-term financial balance.
The Neymar transfer did more than break records. It reset expectations. Barcelona’s reaction to the Messi situation shows how quickly elite clubs began adjusting to a new financial reality.
Players were no longer just valued by skill. They were valued by how much disruption their departure could cause.
By raising the clause to €700 million, Barcelona effectively removed Messi from the transfer market.
This was not just a contract update. It was a defensive strategy. The club was building a financial barrier strong enough to discourage even the wealthiest buyers.
The key concern inside the club was control. Losing Neymar had shown how quickly a squad could be destabilized. Messi was the one player they could not afford to lose under similar circumstances.
Bartomeu’s comments highlight a period where Barcelona shifted from reactive decisions to protective planning. Messi was placed at the center of that strategy.
