https://www.bbc.com/sport/53799945 (https://www.bbc.com/sport/53799945)
Spitting the dummy out again looking attention .Hope this turns out to be a load of balls
Cant see Pep signing him . 33 years old
Bit of a spoilt fooker and all
Yes, I'd say that it would probably be an unhelpful and very expensive diversion at this stage in our development and his career. We really should stick to our policy of targeting good value younger players that we can develop into world class players.
I’d take him on a free, we’d be mad to pay a transfer fee.
I don't think I'd take him even without a fee. Trouble is that the wages would be so large that it would completely unbalance the wage structure.
Messi has been sheer magic but his time in the spotlight has come and he shone, but now his light is fading.
Barcelona would love to cash in big on a fading asset so they rebuild for the future, but only a club in desperation would pay anything more than a nominal fee for him now at his age and taking account of the remuneration package he would no doubt be seeking.
Money could be better spent rebuilding our squad which is already strong, but lacking key ingredients - a new striker, a strengthened defence.
Remember that old git next door that I despised, Fergie, the one quality I admired about him was his ability to sell a player soon after he went past his prime at a premium price to desperate other clubs who got rapidly declining value for money and performances. That's Messi, a great time for Barcelona to cash in on him.
Couldn't agree more. We desperately need a striker but a young one
They would still ask about â,¬100 million, same as Tranaldo at same age. He would bring a lot commercially. Probably got a good two or three years? Team would need to revolve around Messi. A gamble too far. Just a ploy to change the club president anyway.
bums on seats,new fans,sell lots of shirts,city on the map etc...love to see him at city
definitely a shirt seller
Its funny how football fans here in the middle East change their teams
All of a sudden full of Liverpool fans because of the league title and Salah
Quote from: stephenmcfc on August 18, 2020, 12:55:46
Its funny how football fans here in the middle East change their teams
All of a sudden full of Liverpool fans because of the league title and Salah
If they start nicking hub caps get out fast, Stevie! :D
Messi? No thanks, there are cheaper ways of causing dressing room unrest.
:D :D
Just handed in a transfer request at Barca.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53911105
Apparently he can leave for free!
Leaving for free, different matter. Get him in.
on a free at 33 years old , take him , shirt sales through the roof world wide
the smell of boiling piss from the jealous nine will be rife
Messi to sign before October
City 7/4
PSG 4/1
Inter 6/1
Rags 7/1
Juventus 10/1
Chelsea 14/1
AC Milan 28/1
Bayern 33/1
Arsenal 40/1
Leeds 50/1
Madrid 66/1
Any Chinese club 33/1
Newells Boys 16/1
Mls clubs 20/1
Al Sadd 25/1
Leeds? :o
Quote from: bluebrendan on August 18, 2020, 13:26:51
Messi? No thanks, there are cheaper ways of causing dressing room unrest.
Well, I suppose I could tolerate him for a couple of seasons. ;)
Not free. Contract litigation mess. 10 June 2020 I can go on a free if I ask before then contract clause but he missed that date and now citing Covid 19 means it should be extended. Big big Messy mess as always with Messi
Clean up in Aisle 4.
the whole Messi thing is starting to wear me thin and its only a few days running
Quote from: Rowley Birkin QC on August 27, 2020, 09:04:33
Clean up in Aisle 4.
Whoop whoop.
I'm coming around to this now.
Quote from: stephenmcfc on August 27, 2020, 12:47:20
the whole Messi thing is starting to wear me thin and its only a few days running
Remember the Kaka fiasco? Urgh.
Yes!
But also loads of others too!
I blame Berbatov
I don't consider £600 odd mill as free !...
Also failed to score a pen against us and Bacca were thrashed 0 - 4 by the bindippers
Its all starting to go a bit tits up with Messi now with only a couple of weeks before the PL kicks off
5 weeks of the transfer market remain.
I wonder if it will go to CAS.
After the La Liga statement yesterday there’s not a lot City can do now. It’s up to Messi’s team to try and sort it out, which could take an age. We should monitor the situation but put it on the back burner and concentrate on our real transfer priorities or this could turn into a massive distraction with no end result.
Of course La Liga would release that statement.
1) protects their league, Messi is their ejewel in the crown.
2) they hate us.
The only way Messi could wriggle out of the June clause is to go to court and argue that due to the season unexpectedly being extended, the clause should be too.
He could buy himself out of the contract/clause Tone?
things are getting complicated now with this Messi saga and the media are just making things up for fun
I am sure Pep will want this sorted as soon as
Quote from: lee on August 31, 2020, 11:55:55
He could buy himself out of the contract/clause Tone?
Not sure how that would work. He's probably on some really complicated financials tied into shirt sales and inage rights... on top of 12 months at 2mil a month.
Or he'd have to pay his release clause of +£600m
Barcelona can try and bluff but bluff it is as they are in a very poor negotiating position.
What are their options?
Send, or let Messi stay, in Coventry and pay/fine him through his huge weekly wages? Not a smart option, as it only leaves them with a financial liability and no on field return. Then in ten months he walks away a free agent, with Barcelona getting nought.
They could fight him in court but what benefit would they get from that? Even if they won (eventually), a big if, and imagine the cost if they lost? Just would not make any sense.
They could hope he would crack and start to train/play to stay fit and up to speed, but why would he and how would his commitment be?
Barca need money from this because they know he is gone and that's the only saving grace for them. So Barca have to try and create a dispute so they can squeeze some money from City to just fast track the process, a fine line to tread.
For Messi and City it is just a waiting game to call out their buff.
I'll believe when I see it
The Barca presidential candidate Victor Font seems to think Messi has left Barca for good. Messi really wants the move to City. The next few days are going to be critical. Personally I think he will come to City and that it'll be the signing that'll really bring city to the next level. It's mouth watering thinking of him, Torres, Sterling, Foden, Silva, Aguero etc.
Its scary looking at the City possible line up for next season
the jealous nine , FA and Uefa will be boiling their piss to extreme levels
Quote from: stephenmcfc on September 02, 2020, 06:03:40
Its scary looking at the City possible line up for next season
the jealous nine , FA and Uefa will be boiling their piss to extreme levels
I hope so! Liverpool got a Greek waiter and we got Messi :D :D
Messi and City agree a five year deal worth £625.000.000. Three years at the Etihad and a further two at MLC New York City, according to BBC ceefax...
Ceefax ? I thought it died in the 90s
Quote from: Paddy on September 02, 2020, 08:31:40
Messi and City agree a five year deal worth £625.000.000. Three years at the Etihad and a further two at MLC New York City, according to BBC ceefax...
.
They have no clue the figures get higher and higher by the day. Just ignore the finance, leave that to City.
Especially if we get him for no transfer fee!
Also, we'll be able to renegotiate sponsor deals, justifiably getting more than man u or lfc. That will piss them off more.
what does that everton fan have to say on all this?
is he hanging out at alton towers with messi and david villa?
Looks.like he's staying no he's got his own way.
Shocker....
What was his own way?
Been at the pub haha he didn't like the new president.
He said he'll stay if he steps down.
Lionel Messi: Barcelona legend to stay at club - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54032101
Staying , we can move on
Why am I not surprised...
That should be the close of it now. I think Messi genuinely wants to leave but it’s clear there is going to be a long legal battle if he chooses to force it through which serves no one. He’ll stay for another season and probably exercise his right to leave for free in 2021 but at that point I doubt he’ll come to us.
It must attention seeking , fuckin nutcase
Chill, he has made his decision and it is a big one for Barcelona, they must now convince him to sign a new contract or their biggest asset walks out the door on a free. Perfect for Messi, horrendous for Barcelona financially.
Not to sure he will end up at City when the January auction starts, probably in October.
I think this also has a bearing on Peps contract situation too. Had Messi signed this window, Pep extending would have been nailed on. Id imagine Khaldoon will be more than a bit pissed off tonight.
Get ready for the same shite next summer.
Any club can sign him up at the winter window (6 months before contract end)
I've had enough of the bloke already. We don't need the circus of him.
Quote from: gavin on September 06, 2020, 20:50:49
I've had enough of the bloke already. We don't need the circus of him.
Agreed.
I do however think we need an absolutely massive marquee signing. Something along the lines of Mampe. Or even the lad that Chelsea have signed. We're signing lots of potential, but I'd like to see us absolutely smash the bank for the absolute top notch talent.
I see where they're coming from wanting Messi, but you can spend similar money for a player that's going to go further than what Messi has ahead of him and will contribute more to the team. Also, without the circus (hopefully).
I never believed Messi was coming and this isn't the first time the club have been used to leverage a players contract talks elsewhere. I would love, I would it (if we beat them) and the club came out in the summer and said nope, we're not interested from the off.
this Messi nonsense will not go away
now saying he will come next summer . :-[
Messi at 34, a very good player. Legs are sure to be on way out though. Just watched Haaland destroying Rumania in the internationals, a natural. If we are spending big next summer, it should be on him. Or better Mbappe.
In reality, any of them pitching up would be superb. Messi would be very short term.
It would have been a dodgy signing this summer but another year on........
Would be nice for Mbappe and Haaland.
Sterling Haaland Mbappe
Messi would be a commercial advantage for a year or so, he's still a v. V. V. Good player