Man City, top barca sources all over the place have said he's already in talks with Pep.
Lionel Messi
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Man City, top barca sources all over the place have said he's already in talks with Pep.
Yeah, I'd agree with this.
He wants Bartomeu gone now and this is a sure way to make it happen.
City/PSG are the only clubs that could afford him lets be honest.
£1m a week plus all image rights and bonuses etc etc?
If he was a 25 year old Messi i'd say it's worth it.
If it was a 25-year-old Messi, Bartomeu's head would be on a spike by now.
true
Messi is no doubt still a great player and the attention he'd bring to a club like City would be financially beneficial to them, but i'm not sure he will guarantee them trophies like he once did.
Perhaps Messi will be motivated again for the first time in years.. could be a scary thought.
Anyone happy he goes to City so the dippers don't have it as easy next year? Couldn't stand them winning it back to back.
I blame Dembele.
That's one slight upside for sure but Messi going to City just further cements the fact that we are no longer relevant so it's a double edged sword.
I'd prefer he stays where he is. If he joins a European rival I don't think Barca fans will react kindly to him at all. There are Traitor calls on twitter from upset Barca fanboys already for example.
Going out on a limb there mate aren't you?
Yup. If you want any tips on the lottery numbers this week, you know where to come.
So are we out of the running already?
I think it’s LiONel
According to Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola, the Barcelona forward had phoned PSG attacker and former teammate the Nou Camp Neymar, encouraging the player the join him and play for Manchester City - this coming prior to his request to terminate his current contract at the La Liga side.
Might be just lies.. I certainly hope so.
Might be just lies.. I certainly hope so.
PSG shirts are a lot more common after Neymar and Mbappe and yes it put them on the map and made them a force in the Champions League.
Juve already are a big team so signing Ronaldo hasn't made that big of an effect. Although their logo has made them more recognizable for sure. That association with J is like the Mc Donalds association with M.
Brown envelopes are getting ready right now.
They won't sign Neymar and Messi in the same window, a few months after a trial for suspicious transfer activity, surely?
Wait, what? Messi wants Neymar to join him at City !?
Imagine what it will do to the PL brand value if he arrives here . Astronomical stuff.
I think it was the other way around. If I remember correctly this is Aguero’s kid with Maradona’s daughter. It was something like Aguero as your father, Maradona as your grandfather and Messi as your godfather. Putting Messi aside, that’s some football pedigree in that kid’s blood.
PSG shirts really arent that common. There seems to be a lot of resistence to the oil clubs thank feck.
There was a great article, that I cant find, which claimed PSG signing Beckham for brand recognition was a waste of time and similar policies were a myth. If you were a Beckham fan you would be drawn towards United anyway. . All they were doing is basically presenting a Utd symbol to their fanbase. Then you have an icon falling off in your clubs colours which negates all the positives anyway.
This is the same thing. Think of Ronaldo right now, number 7 etc. I bet you didnt picture him in a Juve shirt.
Messi will already have attracted fans to Barca, he is the symbol of that club. It doesnt matter what an aging Messi does at City, it was always be Barca. All City would be doing is promoting Barcas brand.
I wouldn't put too much stock in it anyway, theres a reason why the oil clubs are his only suitors.
Did any of you really think he would come here?
Yes. And maybe Thiago, Werner, Sancho and Havertz also. This could be the summer when Premier league "officially" turns to the best league in the world. There is change Barca and Real start to lost their position on a highest level footballer can reach.
hehe maybe. I don't know if this is reliable. I read it in a Norwegian newspaper. A brazilian ESPN reporter wrote about it on twitter: https://twitter.com/jorgenicola
Not really, I give us around a 5% chance.
Won't stop Ed Woodward directing his tunnel visioned gaze towards us trying to sign him, only to inevitably fall flat and be instead forced to splash out £90million on Jack Grealish on deadline day out of sheer desperation.
I’m all for Messi coming to City on a huge salary.
First, it will drain their FFP limited budget and prevent them to from getting quality reinforcements.
Second, Tuesday rainy night at Stoke actually may come true. He is 33 y.o. who played the whole career in La Liga. EPL will be tough.
Third, he will bring his legendary status with him and will try to use it to get his share of power at City. Healthy atmosphere and team cohesion guaranteed.
Messi is aesthetically the best player ever. His efficiency as a great player and a team member is questionable though. His success in terms of trophies always relied on players around him: Xavi, Iniesta, Suarez, etc.
First, it will drain their FFP limited budget and prevent them to from getting quality reinforcements.
Second, Tuesday rainy night at Stoke actually may come true. He is 33 y.o. who played the whole career in La Liga. EPL will be tough.
Third, he will bring his legendary status with him and will try to use it to get his share of power at City. Healthy atmosphere and team cohesion guaranteed.
Messi is aesthetically the best player ever. His efficiency as a great player and a team member is questionable though. His success in terms of trophies always relied on players around him: Xavi, Iniesta, Suarez, etc.
Plus expectations could really affect their mentality. Messi did fall away a bit after Christmas, its just fact. He couldnt reach into the well anymore and he does present a tactical problem.
He, Rodri and Gundogan through the middle will be a problem against sides in the break.
I think Messi would be great at Utd surrounded by the pace and youth we have, picking out through balls, protected by our athleticism.
City will ask more from him.
My initial reaction when I saw the Messi to us story yesterday besides no chance was I wouldn’t want him. Obviously I then got sucked in to thinking how brilliant it would be seeing him play for us but I do think my initial reaction was the sensible one.
I don’t see how you can have a balanced side with him in it. He doesn’t work when his side don’t have the ball. That’s a massive problem. It isn’t an exaggeration to say you’re defending with 10 men. Is that workable in Pep’s high line system? City don’t have problems because they don’t score enough. Their issues have always been getting caught defensively and Messi with Gundogan, De Bruyne and Rhodri in CM is going to exasperate that problem.
Then there’s the wages. Is it really a good idea to bring in a player earning 3 times more than everyone else? We saw with Sanchez how that can completely destabilise a side.I don’t see how allowing that to happen is a positive thing. There’s big risks associated with it.
And finally there’s Foden. You’d be blocking his gametime, this was the year he was going to replace silva and you’ve just put a Messi obstacle in his way for 2 years. I’d be straight on the phone to his representatives asking if he fancies playing with Marcus, Mason and hopefully Jadon.
I’m not saying if you’re City you pass on the chance. You absolutely take him for brand exposure alone and obviously he’s still going to bang in 35 plus G/A a season. He isn’t going to be a flop. I just don’t think it’s the happy perfect signing many on here seem to think it is. City with Messi still have the same issues they do now and I don’t see them getting more than their record points total with him.
On Messi, it amazes me how he’s somehow exempt from the issues Barcelona have. He earns far more than his team mates, he doesn’t run off the ball, he’s had managers sacked, he’s approved signings/departures and now he’s possibly attempting to get the president out. Barcelona do not play as a team anymore, they play as individuals and the constant pandering to Messi has played a part in that. It fascinates me how he doesn’t get more criticism for this. It’s always the club has let Messi down when actually he’s a part of the problem. I know he’s the GOAT but Barcelona need to do what’s best for their club and not what’s best for Lionel Messi and I do think we’re at the stage now where those two things are very different. They have to rebuild and get rid of the ageing, underperforming high earners. If Messi isn’t happy with that then he should leave too.
I don’t see how you can have a balanced side with him in it. He doesn’t work when his side don’t have the ball. That’s a massive problem. It isn’t an exaggeration to say you’re defending with 10 men. Is that workable in Pep’s high line system? City don’t have problems because they don’t score enough. Their issues have always been getting caught defensively and Messi with Gundogan, De Bruyne and Rhodri in CM is going to exasperate that problem.
Then there’s the wages. Is it really a good idea to bring in a player earning 3 times more than everyone else? We saw with Sanchez how that can completely destabilise a side.I don’t see how allowing that to happen is a positive thing. There’s big risks associated with it.
And finally there’s Foden. You’d be blocking his gametime, this was the year he was going to replace silva and you’ve just put a Messi obstacle in his way for 2 years. I’d be straight on the phone to his representatives asking if he fancies playing with Marcus, Mason and hopefully Jadon.
I’m not saying if you’re City you pass on the chance. You absolutely take him for brand exposure alone and obviously he’s still going to bang in 35 plus G/A a season. He isn’t going to be a flop. I just don’t think it’s the happy perfect signing many on here seem to think it is. City with Messi still have the same issues they do now and I don’t see them getting more than their record points total with him.
On Messi, it amazes me how he’s somehow exempt from the issues Barcelona have. He earns far more than his team mates, he doesn’t run off the ball, he’s had managers sacked, he’s approved signings/departures and now he’s possibly attempting to get the president out. Barcelona do not play as a team anymore, they play as individuals and the constant pandering to Messi has played a part in that. It fascinates me how he doesn’t get more criticism for this. It’s always the club has let Messi down when actually he’s a part of the problem. I know he’s the GOAT but Barcelona need to do what’s best for their club and not what’s best for Lionel Messi and I do think we’re at the stage now where those two things are very different. They have to rebuild and get rid of the ageing, underperforming high earners. If Messi isn’t happy with that then he should leave too.
Right , Messi will prevent Phil fecking Foden from developing.
I think he would absolutely kick ass as a roaming RW, on the offensive, however the right back would have to cover a lot of ground to make up for the lack of defensive work Messi puts in. And just to get him on all the freekicks...many goals during a season.
If United wanted him desperately and stopped at nothing to sign him, were happy to pay him whatever they could afford to pay him, I think they'd get him.
I think Solskjaer would prefer Sancho
That's the only positive, but there are too many negatives - them getting that good a player, the marketing value and general increase in stature.
Nope. I'd be happy if we can pull off a deal for Sancho. Don't think we can attract Messi right now.
Thing is even if Messi and the gang got their wish what is a new president going to be able to do?
1. They have a massive wage bill, some pretty undesirable players on big contracts who aren't going anywhere. How is a new President going to make these players desirable to other clubs?
2. Who exactly are they going to sign, player wise who will come in and make a big difference straight away? They've tried throwing money around and its been a massive failure, if we can't find players to elevate us who are available, how are Barca going to without spending lots of cash they don't have?
3. Where is the money going to come from for that?
4. Who will they bring in as manager to oversee all of this who they can't attract currently. Are Klopp/Pep going to suddenly say, you know what I like the new guy and his magic wand I'll ditch my current job and hotfoot it over to the absolute shambles that is current Barca?
5. How long is this going to take to realistically turn the ship around? Will it be done before Messi is properly washed up in a couple of seasons?
It may be a gambit on his part to squeeze out Bartomeu. But, if you're looking at it properly, it would actually make sense for him to leave. I think he might actually be serious this time.
Yes, his also a big tactical problem.
Is there a more suitable player in the world to have behind Messi than AWB?
Won't roam to far, plays it simple to feet, has legs and pace to burn.
Yes. That’s one of the negatives I stated. He may decide to leave. And he is actually an exceptional footballer so maybe losing 10 years of a local lad being at the club for 2 years of Messi isn’t all that wonderful. Put it this way, I wouldn’t swap Greenwood for Messi.
Phil might become a regular at 25. Even then he might need some patience and wait until 27.
He might be the only player Ive ever seen having his career play out through off the pitch soundbites rather than actually playing games.
Feck them, this is not our level, wishing other clubs stopping Looserpool, a club in the size and heritage of Manchester United should be the club that stop the dippers.
You’re a mad man.
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