Messi offered €100m

It has been reported that Lionel Messi has been offered a 'scandalous cash' incentive of €100million to not sign a new deal with Barcelona.

Last week there were conflicting reports regarding the future of the Argentina captain.

Messi is out-of-contract at Barcelona at the end of the 2017/18 season and whilst Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is convinced Messi will sign a new deal beyond 2018, reports in Spain seem less convinced.

Spanish newspaper Marca shocked the footballing world with news that Messi had rejected even the thought of negotiating a new contract at Camp Nou.

It had been thought that a new deal was already in discussion, but Marca claimed that in July he came to the decision that he would not renew his contract with Barcelona and leave his decision on his future until his contract expired.

Reports in another Spanish newspaper, Sport claimed: 'The Argentine player, far from rejecting the idea of signing a contract extension as has been published, is delaying his decision'.

In somewhat of a war or words between the two newspapers Sport concluded by stating: 'Marca's front page about Messi rejecting Barcelona's offer to renew is an act of revenge against the club because they did not attend the newspaper's awards ceremony'.

Yesterday we reported that Manchester City were set to line up a €116 million offer to snatch Lionel Messi away from Camp Nou, in a move where Pep Guardiola would capitalise on the confusion regarding Messi's contract.

Messi would in turn be offered a basic wage of around €600,000-a-week in wages.

The €116 million offer is some way short of the €250million release clause in Messi's current contract, but with that deal set to end in 2018, Barcelona may begin to get edgy and opt to sell before that deal comes to a conclusion rather than risk losing him on a free transfer.

However with various other clubs interested, it has emerged that a rather under hand tactic could be being played out to lure Messi from Barcelona.

Spanish newspaper Sport have covered a story reported in Madrid based newspaper El Mundo which claims: 'Lionel Messi, via his representatives, has received a huge multi-million euro offer to NOT renew with FC Barcelona.'

The offer is for €100million, paid to prevent Messi signing any new contract at Barcelona or a pre-contract with any other club.

Messi would then presumably walk away from Barcelona in 2018 as a free agent and sign for whomever is behind this unorthodox offer.

On top of the €100million now, Messi would then be given a 'fabulously large quantity of money, to which they will add a succulent contract.