Manchester City are desperate to sign Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and are expected to announce a new deal for manager Pep Guardiola.
Messi’s decision to request a move away from Barcelona this summer has put City on hold on the prospect of reuniting the Argentine with Guardiola, who has just one year left on his current deal at the Etihad Stadium.
City hope a meeting with Messi will appeal Guardiola/LLUIS GENE/Getty Images
Guardiola has often distanced himself from talks of a new contract, leading both fans and club officials to fear that the Spaniard could leave at the end of this season. However, according to The Mirror, City are confident that landing Messi’s signature will convince Guardiola to stay.
Messi has also attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Juventus, but a reunion with Guardiola is believed to be high on his agenda, with City chiefs boosted by Messi’s continued insistence that Barcelona keep him. Can’t do anything to keep it. Camp Nou.
The 33-year-old informed Barcelona that he did not intend to turn up for a coronavirus test on Sunday, and as noted by Samuel Marsden, he stuck to his word and failed to turn up with his team-mates. Is.
Messi was supposed to arrive at the training ground 10 minutes earlier but, as warned, did not show. It would weaken the legal position that he unilaterally terminated the contract at the end of 19-20 if he came in for the 20-21 season.
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) August 30, 2020
Marcelo Batchelor added that Messi does not believe he will have to come for the test as he has already written to Barcelona to tell them that he no longer sees himself as a Barcelona player, claiming that He has exercised the option to terminate his contract. Season 2019/20.
The problem with this is that Barcelona dispute the validity of such a clause. The club’s official line is that Messi had until June 10 to make a decision, and because he has not expressed a desire to return at that time, the clause has expired.
Barcelona have fired back at Messi, telling him he can only leave if a club meets his £624 million release clause, but according to Cadena SER, that clause also expired last season. It ended at the end.
Messi’s release clause could actually be reduced/Pool/Getty Images
If Messi opts out of the final year of his contract, which Barcelona claim he has, his release clause will no longer stand at £624m and will instead be significantly lower.
This may explain The Mirror’s claim that Barca are instead looking for a £250m player-plus-cash deal from City, with the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva and Erik Garcia all believed to be in Barcelona’s sights. do
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