Gerard Piqué responds to journalist’s wage claim by posting screenshot of bank transfer

Piqué was firing back at claims that he was Barcelona's highest earner at the club

Gerard Piqué has responded to claims that he is Barcelona's highest earner at the club by posting a screenshot of his payslip on social media. The defender had previously been accused of earning €14million (£11.7m) a season from the Catalan club, who are currently in financial disarray, on Catalan television by presenter, Lluis Canut. However to quash the speculation of his earnings the Barça star revealed on Twitter that half of his yearly salary, which had been paid to him December, totalled €2,328,884.39 (£1.94m). https://twitter.com/OnzeTv3/status/1479217912959447045 On his account he said: "People like this are paid by public television to defend their friends. Here is 50% of my salary as of 30 December. Have a bit of respect for yourself." https://twitter.com/3gerardpique/status/1479520775279452161?t=-407TSqbci5gjJFER1lw0w&s=19 Piqué wasn't the only player at the club be targeted. Canut also claimed that Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were the two other highest earners alongside the 34-year-old, despite the trio agreeing to take a pay cut at the start of the season to allow the club to register summer signings such as Memphis Depay. Barcelona later released a statement to clarify the Catalan presenter's comments. They said: "In relation to comments made by Lluis Canut on TV3, Barcelona would like to clarify the following.

"1. The information on the salaries of certain first team players has not, in any case, been supplied by the club and its origin is unknown.

"2. In any case, the amounts referred to in the information are erroneous and do not conform to reality. Furthermore, in the case of the first three players referred to [Piqué, Busquets and Alba], it gives fixed amounts which, as the sums involved are based on variables, will possibly never be reached.

"3. It is also false that the aforementioned players have only deferred their salary. Pique, Busquets and Alba gave up part of their salary when they signed contract renewals last summer."

Barça then continued to condemn Canut's comments, calling them "inappropriate" and "unprofessional." They said: "We consider it inappropriate, unprofessional and that [Canut] has acted in bad faith by offering this information as truthful.

"We regret that data of this type is provided because it infringes the personal rights of the players and deserves, when the information is true, confidentiality."

The club are still currently experiencing financial issues off the pitch and are unable to register new signing Ferran Torres until they reduce their current wage bill. Related links:

• Xavi growing tired of Ousmane Dembélé’s ‘lack of professionalism’ at Barcelona
• Barcelona unable to register Ferran Torres after Manchester City transfer
• Junior Firpo accuses former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman of ‘lying’ to him