Highstreetmail : An unnamed Russian club triggered Lionel Messi’s automatic release clause with a staggering €250m (£205m) bid for the Barcelona star, a report claims.
Spanish sports daily El Mundo Deportivo reports that the club agreed to pay more than double the world record transfer fee, and offered the Argentine a €30m (£24.6m) annual pay packet after tax.
Once that sum was offered Barcelona were contractually obliged to accept it – but from that point it was up to the player whether he was interested in leaving the club.
The bid came during Messi’s recent contract negotiations with Barcelona.