Chapter 908: The 2021 Summer Transfer Window (IV)
As a time traveler, Bruno already knew that Yossi would eventually leave Barcelona — including the emotional scene of the Argentine breaking down in tears at his farewell press conference.
One could say Yossi's story with Barcelona began with tissues, and it ended with them.
Barcelona's decision not to renew his contract was inevitable.
Simply put, the economic chaos caused by Sandro Rosell and Josep Bartomeu collided with the COVID‑19 pandemic, making Barcelona's reckless, debt‑driven operations unsustainable — the very reason the club collapsed into financial disaster.
A recent report by AS revealed the annual salaries of Barca's top players: Antoine Griezmann earned €21 million, Memphis Depay €18 million, Frenkie de Jong €16 million, Philippe Coutinho €15 million, Ousmane Dembélé €15 million, and Sergio Busquets €14 million.
It was Bartomeu's disastrous "buy the most expensive, not the best" policy — overpaying for glamour instead of substance — that crippled the club. The huge, inflated contracts, including Yossi's last four‑year deal, became the black hole draining Barcelona's finances.
Issues such as La Liga's salary cap, the failed Super League scheme, and their stubborn refusal to accept private equity funding were all just excuses.
Without the pandemic, Yossi's renewal would have been almost certain — and it would have been another astronomical deal.
Unfortunately, nothing can return to how it was.
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Yossi's previous four‑year contract was worth an astonishing €555 million — more than the combined wages of Barcelona's five main starters.
Even allowing for his immense sporting and commercial value, that contract was vastly overinflated.
His proposed renewal with a "50% pay cut" still referenced that same contract.
According to recent reports, Yossi accepted Paris Saint‑Germain's offer: a two‑plus‑one‑year deal worth €30 million in salary per year, plus a €30 million signing bonus.
Comparing his old €69 million annual salary to PSG's €45 million package, the excess is obvious.
Yossi's complaints about Joan Laporta demanding an additional 30% pay cut on top of the initial 50% now look far more reasonable.
To speak plainly — no matter how righteously Yossi spoke or how many tears he shed — the crux was simple: his greed was no longer being satisfied.
Fans should stop romanticizing Yossi's "loyalty" to Barcelona. To the holder of football's biggest contract, everything was about profit. He was shackled by money — and by the greed of his father, who managed his finances.
Harsh as it sounds, even if Yossi had played two more seasons for free, Barcelona would still have done more than enough for him.
In truth, his excessive demands only highlighted the limits of his so‑called dream.
There were two sides to Yossi: the unstoppable force on the pitch and the man who measured everything in money.
That made him, in a sense, no different from Rockefeller or Bill Gates — a GOAT ruled by ambition and accumulation.
He would forever be a totem of Barcelona, but never on the same spiritual level as Johan Cruyff or even Ronald Koeman.
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Yossi's case also served as a wake‑up call for Bruno. If he truly wished to retire at Manchester United and become a club legend, he needed to rethink many things.
After all, the highest salary in world football actually belonged to him.
In 2017, following Yossi's record‑breaking Barcelona contract, the next summer United's owner, Prince Jassim, insisted on reaffirming Bruno's position as the world's top footballer by offering him a new deal.
Initially, Jassim proposed a weekly wage of £700,000 based on Barça's then‑public figure of €40 million yearly for Yossi. However, shortly before signing, they learned that Yossi's actual earnings exceeded €72 million per year — not including other clauses.
Prince Jassim, unconcerned about cost, decisively amended the contract: from £700,000 gross per week to £700,000 after tax.
A few simple words, but an extraordinary difference.
Considering the Premier League's 50% tax rate, Manchester United effectively paid double — £700,000 to Bruno and another £700,000 to the HMRC.
This made his annual pre‑tax salary £72.4 million — roughly €80 million. Adding appearance fees, goal bonuses, and other incentives, United's total annual outlay for Bruno exceeded €100 million.
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Only United's unparalleled success and record revenues made such spending sustainable.
Even in the pandemic‑affected 2020–2021 season, their income rose, surpassing £900 million for the first time — approximately €1.05 billion — making them the first club in history to break the €1 billion revenue barrier in a single season.
Since 2017–2018, they had recorded over €900 million in annual revenue for four consecutive years, leaving all rivals far behind.
By comparison, Real Madrid ranked second with only around €640 million — barely two‑thirds of United's total.
It was proof that United's dominance extended far beyond the pitch.
Analysts predicted that with the new season's full post‑pandemic reopening — fans returning to stadiums and the unveiling of United's new home ground — the 2021–2022 season could push their revenue past the £1 billion mark.
That new stadium, built at a cost exceeding £2.1 billion, was nothing short of a footballing marvel.
Every facility used cutting‑edge technology. Fans, staff, and players all benefited from an intelligent design offering the ultimate experience — from its stands and lounges to the locker rooms and pitch.
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But above all, the stadium was huge.
Old Trafford's 76,000‑seat capacity already made it one of Europe's biggest. Now, the new arena could hold 100,000 spectators — even surpassing Camp Nou's 99,000.
Given United's vast global fanbase, there was never any concern about filling it.
The club had already sold 65,000 season tickets — the maximum number allocated. Global demand reached 130,000 applications, an unprecedented figure.
The excitement was palpable.
United's first home match at the new stadium was set for August 15 — the Premier League opener against Leeds United.
It was more than just a fixture; it was a spectacle.
The new stadium's debut, the "Roses Derby" rivalry, and the atmosphere promised a night to remember.
Only a Red Derby against Liverpool could have matched its allure — but the Premier League would never schedule such a blockbuster as an opening‑day game.
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As the world focused on Yossi's transfer to Paris Saint‑Germain, Manchester United prepared for their second match of the season — the UEFA Super Cup against Villarreal, the famed "Yellow Submarine."
Villarreal had beaten several strong opponents en route to the Europa League title, including Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.
Their coach, Unai Emery, was a fascinating figure.
After being sacked by Arsenal in November 2019, he spent half a year out of management before taking charge at Villarreal in July 2020 — only to face his former club in the Europa League final.
For Arsenal, the Europa League had been their only route back into the Champions League, and Arteta's side fought bravely to reach the final — only to meet Emery, the "King of the Europa League."
Despite Arsenal's efforts, Villarreal triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout, capping Emery's reputation as the master of the competition.
But Manchester United were a different beast entirely.
In Belfast's Windsor Park, the Red Devils enjoyed home‑like support and dominated from start to finish.
Led by Bruno, who recorded one goal and one assist, plus strikes from Harry Kane and Mbappé, United claimed a 3–1 victory — securing their fifth consecutive UEFA Super Cup title.
Since José Mourinho's United lifted the Europa League in 2017 and earned entry into the Super Cup, they had defeated five straight opponents — Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Sevilla, and now Villarreal — conquering all of Europe's champions.
It was their sixth UEFA Super Cup overall, surpassing AC Milan's five to stand alone as the competition's most successful club in history.
(END CHAPTER)
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