Manchester City are exploring their financial options to assess whether they are in a position to sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi if he becomes available this summer.
Having first joined the club as a 13-year-old, Messi has been increasingly linked with a move away from the Camp Nou this summer following the humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League earlier this month. Due to frustration at Barca’s increasing failures after the defeat.
Barcelona were beaten 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League/Poll/Getty Images
Speaking at the end of the 2019/20 La Liga season, Messi preached the need for ‘many changes’ if the club is to compete in the European mini-tournament. The changes, which may need to be far-reaching, were not implemented in time to prevent embarrassment.
“There have been moments in the past when Messi’s future at Barcelona looked uncertain. But, make no mistake about it, he has never been as close to leaving as he is now,” author and journalist Gilliam. Balague wrote in a recent BBC column.
Former Inter chairman Massimo Moratti expects his former club to make a move for the Argentine, telling AS this week, “I imagine Inter have already tried. And if not, I think They will be soon.
But Manchester City, who have long been linked with Messi as a result of the presence of Pep Guardiola, Taxi Bigerstein and Ferran Soriano at the Etihad Stadium, are also examining the situation to make an approach for the six-time Ballon. D or Conqueror.
Messi can meet Pep Guardiola at Man City / David Ramos / Getty Images
ESPN writes that City are currently ‘crunching the numbers’ to determine whether they have the resources to make an offer for Messi, if he is genuinely available, and Financial Fair Play regulations. live within
It is said that any deal to sign Messi is expected to be very complicated, but City ‘want to be prepared’ if Barca are willing to accept a reasonable fee, making it a possibility.
Messi had a clause in his Barca contract that allowed him to leave as a free agent this summer if he chose. However, that authority expired in early June. He has one more year left on his overall contract through 2021, though that means he could move as a free agent next summer.
For now, Barcelona’s official stance would see them sign any objections to the €700m (£632m) buy-out clause, but ESPN added that some board members at the Camp Nou were against Messi’s sale. See this as a potential opportunity to raise funds that can be reinvested. A flying squad.
Barcelona could fund new coach Ronald Koeman / Josep Lago / Getty Images rebuild
Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu considers only eight players in the current squad to be ‘non-transferable’. But Messi is among them along with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Frankie de Jong, Nelson Semedo, Clement Lenglet and Ansu Fati.
Messi is rumored to have told new Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman in a meeting last week that he was considering leaving and was ‘more outside the club than inside’. The player was later told ‘furiously’ that information about the meeting had been leaked to the media.
Apart from City and Inter, as expected by Moratti, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are also monitoring Messi’s situation. PSG coach Thomas Tuchel has said he would be welcome in the French capital, although he expects the player to remain with Barcelona.
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