Getting Messi

MuttleyCAFC said:

A move to Man City is ultimately going to be money driven. I think Liverpool are going to have to change their style a little. Teams were starting to work out how to play them. I can see Man Utd being up there.

Is it? City are managed by possibly the best manager in the world who was key in developing Messi into the best player in the world, and they regularly challenge at the top of the Premier League. The Prem is seen as possibly the best and most competitive league in the world, and City play a style that Messi will be entirely used to seeing as Guardiola developed it while working with him. At the moment he apparently earns £64m basic, £95m on average and can get as much as £110m off a good season. The bloke could rock up at Hemel Hempstead in the National League and play for free for the next ten years and still be rolling in it. Sure, he's likely to still demand a very high salary, but I don't think you can say that moving to City would just be about money; given the style and the history he has with the manager it's the most logical move for him.

If the move was purely money motivated then surely he could just stay where he is and continue being the highest paid footballer in history. 

I still suspect this is some sort of political move, and my bets are still on him being at Barcelona next season. 

I actually reckon Barca's best bet would have been to sell him now, get £100m say, and the £60m odd saving in wages, and spend it on rebuilding the squad.

In a move that shocks no-one, Messi confirms he will be staying at Barcelona another year.

How many times has Messi threatened to leave and then stayed? 

Quite scathing in his announcement though. Reiterated that he wants out. 

North Lower Neil said:

paulie8290 said:

Messi has confirmed he is staying

Says he is unhappy but doesn't want to get into a legal dispute so will stay this season


Reckon he will 100% go for free in May/June 2021

Not so sure - their election is in March, once Bartomeu has gone maybe he'll stay.

Exactly how i see it too.

New president elected, brings in Xavi as manager or director of football, they start to make some decent signings like Martinez from Inter and Messi will probably end up seeing out his career there.

eaststandmike said:

The blokes a wanker, he was never going to leave, he can't, he would do fuck all in The Prem or Germany, the only way he would score the amount of goals he currently does is if he signed for a Scottish team.  

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

North Lower Neil said:

paulie8290 said:

Messi has confirmed he is staying

Says he is unhappy but doesn't want to get into a legal dispute so will stay this season


Reckon he will 100% go for free in May/June 2021

Not so sure - their election is in March, once Bartomeu has gone maybe he'll stay.

Exactly how i see it too.

New president elected, brings in Xavi as manager or director of football, they start to make some decent signings like Martinez from Inter and Messi will probably end up seeing out his career there.

If only Charlton fans were able to vote out ESI and vote TS in so easily...

Why did he agree to that massive release clause in his contract?

He must know that no one will pay it and he's with Barcelona for his career.

On Sky they said as he's staying another season he's entitled to an 18m euros loyalty payment. Nice work if you can get it. 

Think he is 10 goals short of Pele’s world record of goals scored for one team, he was never leaving.

North Lower Neil said:

I actually reckon Barca's best bet would have been to sell him now, get £100m say, and the £60m odd saving in wages, and spend it on rebuilding the squad.

What I mean to say is "spend it on paying some debt off".  

Crazy the situation they are in, having to try and sell millions of pounds of players just to be able to register the free signings they've made.  And that's before they try to sign Messi back up.