The arrival of Lionel Messi from Barcelona to PSG has boosted the gross revenue of the French club by a whopping 700 million Euros, as reported by the Argentine publication El Economista.

Messi signed a two-year deal with the PSG in 2021 after his contract extension with Barca couldn’t materialize. He is likely to sign an extension at PSG though, where he will be paid €30m in the second year of the deal.

The report also added that PSG has secured more than 10 high-profile sponsors since Messi’s arrival last year. Nike, the kit sponsor of the club, has extended the contract till 2032, while brands like Dior, Gorillas, and Big Cola also got on the board.

“Demand has grown between 30 percent and 40 percent. When one of these transfers takes place, people think that they are paid by selling shirts, and that is not entirely the case,” said Marc Armstrong, the PSG’s business director, to Marca.

Messi’s shirt accounted for more than 60% of the club’s revenue from the merchandise sale. Armstrong, however, explained that they can’t match the demands of Messi’s jersey across the world. “When one of these transfers takes place, people think that it is paid for by selling shirts, and it’s not quite like that. You can’t produce a lot of extra shirts,” added Armstrong.

On the social media front, the PSG has gained over one million followers, spread mainly across Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, in the last year. They are now also the most-followed company in France.

Meanwhile, Barcelona lost around €137m after Messi left the club. As per Brand Finance, the Spanish club generated over €30m a year alone by selling Messi’s No.10 jersey.

Messi himself is among the most influential footballers on social media. In a recent survey on the most powerful footballers on Instagram by Nielsen Media, he came second only to his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine commands around 360 million followers on the platform and boasts a brand value of $2,631,388.

Lead Image: Lionel Messi/Instagram