Messi contract leaked: Top 10 BIGGEST sports contract revealed ft. Patrick Mahomes, Neymar

Earlier on Sunday, reports suggested that Lionel Messi is set to earn a whopping £492million (€555m) at FC Barcelona by end of his current contract that was offered to him in 2017. Messi's bumper deal — which was leaked by a Spanish newspaper — is w reportedly biggest contract offer in sports history. Here's a look at list of top 10 biggest contract deals in sports history. 

ALSO READ: Premier League Results & Highlights: Man City Defeat Sheffield, Liverpool Hammer West Ham

Lionel Messi contract leaked: Barcelona contract makes Argentine superstar world's highest-paid athlete

On Sunday, Spanish news outlet El Mundo published documents relating to Messi's four-year deal, signed in 2017, and gave an intricate breakdown of £492million (€555m) he would receive by end of his current agreement with Catalan outfit if all add-ons were met. report also claimed that Messi's contract would be  biggest ever that was signed by an athlete. However, Messi and Barcelona are furious over leak and plan to take legal action against publication.

six-time Ballon d'Or winner tried to quit Barcelona in summer but ended up making a dramatic U-turn to see out final year of his deal. Reports still claim that Messi will leave Barcelona once his current contract expires with PSG and Man City keen on signing Argentine superstar. Messi is also yet to sign a new agreement with Barcelona.

ALSO READ: Man United Criticised For "Parking Bus" After Stalemate Against Arsenal

With his latest four-year deal, Messi reportedly earned a staggering £63.5m (€72m) annually in addition to add-ons for playing more than 60% of games throughout course of each season. bonuses also included Champions League progression, winning LaLiga or Copa del Rey and winning FIFA's Best. Messi's contract also included mouthwatering signing and loyalty bonuses.

ALSO READ: Mesut Ozil Comically Buys Piers Morgan-imprinted 'Toilet Rolls' Before Leaving Arsenal

Top 10 highest-paid athletes: Biggest contracts in sports

1. Lionel Messi (£492million) - According to Sun, Messi's last contract offer by Barcelona was  biggest for a sports star.
2. Patrick Mahomes ( £402million) - NFL superstar signed a 10-year deal with Chiefs in September 2020, which equates to a whopping £40.2m-per-year. 
3. Mike Trout (£341million) - Los Angeles Angels tight end Mike Trout signed a 12-year deal with NFL franchise in 2019 and is set to earn around £28.3m-per-year 
4. Canelo Alvarez (£292million) - boxing superstar penned an 11-fight deal with DAZN in 2018, which averd to £26.5m per fight. However, he got out of contract in October 2020. 
5. Neymar (£278million) - PSG winger signed a five-year deal worth £278m in 2017 when he left Barcelona for a world-record transfer, meaning he pockets £55.6m-per-year.
6. Bryce Harper (£264million) - In March 2019, right-fielder penned a 13-year deal with Philadelphia worth £264m.
7. Giancarlo Stanton (£260million) -   Miami Marlins offered Stanton a 13-year deal worth £260m in 2014, however, 31-year-old did t see out his contract and was traded to Yankees in 2017.
8. Gerrit Cole (£258million) - Cole accepted a nine-year deal worth a whopping £28.6m-per-year when he was snapped up by Yankees in 2019. 
9. Manny Machado (£238million) - five-time MLB all-star signed a 10-year deal with San Diego Padres in 2019 and is w takes home around £23.8m-per-year. 
10. lan Arenado (£207million) - Arenado signed an eight-year contract extension with  Colorado Rockies in January 2019 and w takes home a staggering £25.8m-per-year.

ALSO READ: Lionel Messi Has Netted 21 Free-kick Goals In Past Five Seasons, Most In Europe

Im Credits - Barcelona, Neymar Instagram / AP