Barcelona have been pushed to the very boundaries of their salary limit by their financial struggles, leading to a number of accounting tricks and cut-price deals. None more so than with Hector Bellerin.
The former La Masia player grew up in Barcelona, but left at the age of 16 to join Arsenal. Last season was his first in La Liga with Real Betis, and this campaign he arrived on a free from the Gunners.
He has also taken a massive pay cut in order to do so. Speaking to Diari ARA, Bellerin was asked whether there was any truth to the suggestion that he was earning €500k this year.
“Yes. Nowadays what worries me is playing football at the highest level.”
“I am lucky that I have been doing this for many years and I am in a financially comfortable situation that allows me to enjoy what I want. In the end, we don’t need as much as we think and I live a very normal life. My priorities are not based on an economic matter.”
Bellerin’s deal is close to the La Liga minimum and it is a rare case of a footballer putting lifestyle and ambition ahead of money. He is also happy to give much of it away, after declaring that footballers should pay more tax than anyone else.
