DENMARK striker Martin Braithwaite is now the RICHEST player in Barcelona’s squad following Lionel Messi’s departure, according to reports.
The 30-year-old has a property empire in the US, believed to be worth £181MILLION.
According to Forbes via Marca, Braithwaite’s company is worth $250m – around £181m.
The Barcelona star is believed to have invested around £617,000 into the business with his uncle, Philip Michael, in 2017.
NYCE Companies is now reportedly 25 times bigger than it was four years ago, with Braithwaite and Michael owning 1,500 apartments.
And the pair are said to have another 500 properties in development around Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Speaking to Danish website BT earlier this month, Michael said: “It started with our family having been in the real estate business for a long time.
“Here you will find that one of the ways you can build a fortune and secure your future financially is by investing in real estate. And that’s what I’ve been doing with my dad and Martin since I came over here.
“Martin’s role is very much about how we do in terms of strategy and vision in the long run.
“He is involved, but not so involved that it distracts him from football.”
Braithwaite is married to French journalist Anne-Laure Braithwaite after spending four years at Ligue 1 side Toulouse.
The couple have two kids and the Barcelona star is stepfather to another two from his wife’s previous relationship.
Braithwaite’s reported wealth makes him the richest player in Barca’s squad – despite earning the joint 14th-highest wage, said to be £85,000-a-week.
Messi does have more cash than the Denmark international – believed to be worth $400m (around £289m) – but is now a free agent after his contract expired.
The 34-year-old is yet to agree a new deal with the Spanish giants, who reportedly need to cut their costs to operate under a salary cap.
New Barcelona signing Memphis Depay is understood to have accepted a 30 per cent pay cut to appease the club’s worrying financial state.
Although Braithwaite’s bank balance is healthy, his club form is worrying.
The former Middlesbrough striker has scored just THREE goals in 40 LaLiga games since his controversial move in February 2020.
Barcelona were allowed to buy Braithwaite outside of the transfer window as an ’emergency signing’ – but his former side Leganes were not allowed to replace him and were subsequently relegated by just a point.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
