Lionel Messi turns down £460,000-a-week after £205m release clause is triggered

Barcelona forward shuns offer from unknown Russian club

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (GETTY IMAGES)

Lionel Messi has just put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at Barcelona, one which includes a £205m release clause.

Despite the crazy figure written into the contract, according to a report, an unknown Russian club triggered it, and offered the world's greatest player £460,000-a-week to tempt him away.

The fee of £205m would easily have made Messi the most expensive player of all time, surpassing the £80m Real Madrid paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, The Sun claim Messi turned down the offer of £24m a year after tax, understood to have been made by Anzhi Makhachkala.

Messi and Barcelona were reportedly shocked that a club was willing to pay the prohibitive release clause, yet after talks with Barca president Sandro Rosell and his family the Argentine opted to remain at the Nou Camp.