Messi - £357 mill

[Paddy]

Media speculation on the city page (I hope)

[nimrod]

Media bollocks

A) City cant spend that much under FFP
B) Barca have been complaining about City buying players and buying Girona to do sneaky deals with our young players, I would think the last club they would sell their best player to would be City.
C) Why would City pay 357 mill for a player they can get for free, even if we paid him 1 million a week for 4 years it would be significantly less than 357 million.
D) Messi is 30, he's on the wrong side of the mountain now, on his way down,he's not worth anywhere near that figure.

[Ludo]

I doubt he'll ever leave Barca but if he did it would be some coup to get him.

But definitely not at a price anywhere near that since he's on a free at the end of the season.

[KunDB]

I have no doubt City could spend that amount as I am sure they have been planning for such an eventuality.

Would it make sense, I am not so sure about that. 2 or 3 years ago definitely yes, but now at his age (30) maybe not unless the money is indeed already set aside and that is being treated as a sunk cost by the Board and owners.

How long will he remain top of his game 3/4 years at the very most, maybe less. A good deal for Barcelona without doubt. However, it could be a good deal for us as well commercially and to establish the culture of playing beautiful passing, attacking football at all levels within the club.

Will it happen, I think there is a slim possibility of it actually happening as Messi might just want the challenge of conquering the Premier League in his twilight years. If it does happen it would be fun for us fans that's for sure.

[gavin]

If we can get him in summer and pay him ridiculous wages then okay but not with that transfer fee as well.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

While I suppose you can't rule anything out in the mad world that is football, I have to say I have never believed for one moment that Messi will ever become a City player.

The media's constant attempts to link us with him in recent years haven't appeared to be based on any evidence, logic, or plausible scenario - aside from some imagined / wishful thinking 'Pep connection'.

Can't see City paying those mega-bucks for a 30 year old player who may only have a couple of decent seasons left in him, and I can't see Messi leaving Barca unless it's to escape his tax problems for a while (and if he wants to do that he's more likely to go back to South America).

[goat]

funny enough four four two has a big feature on the last time we had this kind of deal going on, back when messi was called kaka

[shandon]

Do people in the UK still read four four two? 

[goat]

aye

its gone shit now tho

[shandon]

I buy it sometimes. But I don't think many people buy any magazines anymore.

[goat]

is yours the same as ours our more aussie?

[shandon]

There is a monthly Australian four four two magazine with features on the Soceroos and the A league (as well as EPL). But we also get the UK version here.

[goat]

ahh, cheers

[Neil Mcnab]

When Sergio Ramos wanted a pay rise at RM, the rumour was he was signing for us. Job done, shiny new contract on much better money.

[Swiss]

1) he's trying to up his new contract

2) he's genuinely pissed off at Barce that he could leave on a free in the summer


@ 30, he's still got 4 to 6 seasons left in him

[gavin]

I think its a bit of both. I doubt he will come to City but you can't rule it out in summer. No way in Jan I'd say though.

[bry the guy]

He wont leave untill the end of the season because of the Champs league.