Messi on the move?

teddykgb

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I feel for Barca here and think they should use the salary space created to pursue the 2nd best left footed RW in world football to fill the void
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Barca will definitely want to splash the money on some high profile young attacker if they do sell Messi. Lautaro is the player that makes the most sense since they badly need a 9 but my guess is that part of Conte's protracted negotiations with the Inter leadership have been about ensuring that he wouldn't be sold. Sancho is another obvious possibility.
 

teddykgb

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Barca will definitely want to splash the money on some high profile young attacker if they do sell Messi. Lautaro is the player that makes the most sense since they badly need a 9 but my guess is that part of Conte's protracted negotiations with the Inter leadership have been about ensuring that he wouldn't be sold. Sancho is another obvious possibility.
I was thinking someone more .... Egyptian

but I hadn’t considered the very funny to this City fan possibility of Sancho.

I’m still skeptical until I see him in blue but this has been so much fun. The idea that the best player in the world is forcing his way out of Barcelona so he can join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City is so surreal. I’ve said it before but I feel bad for fans of other clubs because they don’t get to experience something like this. This should have been Newcastle’s moment
 

SocrManiac

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It certainly seems that Barca and Messi are doing all they can to antagonize each other. It’s difficult to see who wins when shit goes down like this.

An ugly divorce doesn’t seem to serve either side in any way. Why would anybody want to taint the GOAT’s legacy at the club that made him?
 

teddykgb

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I mean isn’t this entirely on Barca? Messi is doing everything in that he has asked to leave but Barca are the ones who were spying on him and his family and doing all the nonsense that led to this in the first place. They included a clause then are using a pandemic to try to get out of it. They’re lucky he hasn’t done more and it seems like their fans are siding with the player.

Of course having the best player maybe ever leave on a free is a disaster and a certain amount of this is to be expected. It would do Barca’s finances a world of good I’m sure to receive a hefty transfer fee. But it’s a little surprising that Madrid handled Ronaldo’s exit so quietly and professionally while Barca scramble to drag their best player to court. If you’re another top player are you not watching this and wondering if Barca is the place you want to be?
 

InstaFace

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I mean isn’t this entirely on Barca? Messi is doing everything in that he has asked to leave but Barca are the ones who were spying on him and his family and doing all the nonsense that led to this in the first place.
spying on him and his family? Can you elaborate? I can't find anything on that on google.
 

teddykgb

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Spying is the wrong word choice. I was referring to the incident where they were supposedly using a third party to defame players and former officials on social media
 

Mighty Joe Young

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Reading a bunch of stories on the Athletic concerning his contract status. It does seem really unlikely that he can get out of it. He could just go ahead and sign with City but that would result in the Mother of Sports Lawsuits with both Messi and possibly City on the hook for a 700m fine for contract breach plus a two window transfer ban for City. Guessing City isn’t willing to risk that .. So, common sense would seem to imply a normal transfer .. would City do 200m plus players swap? Of course, City would be opening themselves up for continuing FFP speculation which would be highly entertaining. I have no clue how they could make the finances work without some dodgy sponsorship arrangements.

And if they give Messi 900k per week what’s KDB or Sterling going to want?

The question is, how much would Messi actually improve City? He certainly wouldn’t fix their overall weaknesses (defensive fragility - especially on the counter attack). He doesn’t press .. something City probably needs to address anyways. He’s be replacing either Bernardo Silva or Mahrez in the lineup presumably? (Unless they go as part of a package to Barca along with Jesus )

The whole thing seems like pie in the sky ..
 

SocrManiac

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Messi with City made the most sense financially, but never made sense tactically. On the other hand, when you can have the GOAT, you get the GOAT.
 

Vinho Tinto

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Messi won’t go on a free, by he can threaten to retire. He’d give up a lot of, but he’s got a ton stashed away and he’s not above doing it. He’s walked away from Argentina and he knows what that would do to Barca management if he shut it down. If Barca tries to litigate Messi into submission, they will lose in a landslide. This didn’t come come out of nowhere. He’s been at his wits end with the club for over a year. If they can’t repair the relationship, they need to strike a deal and move on.
 

Kliq

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This played out similarly to his "retirement" from Argentina.
 

sodenj5

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Wonder if he was really, truly trying to leave or get Bartomeu ousted.

I suppose we’ll know next year.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Barca are a total mess. They apparently have to pay him a massive loyalty bonus if he sees out his contract, in addition to his usual wages. And its not like this year will go well given the state of the team and Messi's current attitude. Take the 100m or whatever from City, buy some new players, and start building a new team for fuck's sake.
 

Vinho Tinto

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I'll believe he's not leaving once the Summer transfer window is closed. All I'm getting from this announcement is that Team Messi will not get into a legal battle. A month is probably not enough time to work out a transfer this complicated; but if there is a will, there is a way. Between his tax issues, and how both the club and league have monkeyed around with his opt out clause, I would be stunned if Messi did not bolt next Summer.
 

teddykgb

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I think it is absolute madness on Barca’s behalf because other players see you treating the GOAT of your club like this and you diminish your reputation with them. Barca will always be Barca so they’ll have pull but not honoring an agreement especially now where he says he has told them this all year is an extremely bad look especially for a club with its “mes que in club” mantra.

Having said that, Bartomeu probably gets voted out quickly, Koeman gets fired for Xavi at some point and Messi renews. Barca waste a year, a bunch of goodwill, and delay a rebuild.
 

Zososoxfan

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I'll believe he's not leaving once the Summer transfer window is closed. All I'm getting from this announcement is that Team Messi will not get into a legal battle. A month is probably not enough time to work out a transfer this complicated; but if there is a will, there is a way. Between his tax issues, and how both the club and league have monkeyed around with his opt out clause, I would be stunned if Messi did not bolt next Summer.
Bingo. Except that I think a deal gets done or Barto is voted out. I highly doubt Messi is playing for Barca on October 1 if Barto is still President.

I think it is absolute madness on Barca’s behalf because other players see you treating the GOAT of your club like this and you diminish your reputation with them. Barca will always be Barca so they’ll have pull but not honoring an agreement especially now where he says he has told them this all year is an extremely bad look especially for a club with its “mes que in club” mantra.

Having said that, Bartomeu probably gets voted out quickly, Koeman gets fired for Xavi at some point and Messi renews. Barca waste a year, a bunch of goodwill, and delay a rebuild.
If somehow Messi does stay, this will absolutely happen. I'm happy that Messi's staying with Barca for today at least, but I'm still furious with Barto and the Board and it's not like everything is hunky dory now.

All this just to get Rakitic off the squad?
Well played.