Went to Paris instead of Welcome to Messi Manchester

[Crossie]

I’d be ok with £50m plus Mahrez.

If this is all real, Barca’s position is so weak. Pay Messi to do what for 1 more year of his contract? Sit in the stands? £94m a year isn’t it? They simply can’t spunk that on a huge political distraction for a full season. Image the pressure of Koeman doesn’t win his first 3-4 games, with Messi refusing to train etc.

Koeman can’t rebuild until Messi is sorted. So basically everyone wants this resolved.

This is all on Messi’s actual intention to leave. Apparently he isn’t picking up Barcas calls, which is perfect, they will come to realise if they don’t let him go it will set them back £94m in wages, a lost potentially reasonable transfer fee and maybe some quality player swaps and the ability to rebuild their squad. They already pushed out Suarez and Griessman is unsettled.

Only Messi changing his mind stops this, which is why we have to move extremely fast, before he starts overthinking it!

[nottsblue]

A couple of so called tabloids reporting £89.5 million plus Garcia, Jesus and Bernardo. Mad.

That would possibly be the worst ever deal in our history and possibly the PLs as well

Three young players Plus nearly £90m in exchange For a 33 year old? No fucking way

[salford city]

A couple of so called tabloids reporting £89.5 million plus Garcia, Jesus and Bernardo. Mad.

That would possibly be the worst ever deal in our history and possibly the PLs as well

Three young players Plus nearly £90m in exchange For a 33 year old? No fucking way

Could see us letting both Garcia and Angelino go but that would be about it. We are not desperate for him and won't be letting go of anyone who we want to keep. I did mention Mendy in the transfer thread but doubt Barca are that daft.....

[Outcast]

I think only Garcia might be used in a swap deal plus cash. I can't imagine we'll let Jesus and Bernie go, do they actually want to go to a team in turmoil?

There is talk of 3 to 5 players used for a swap deal, I'd say bollocks, just media making wild guessing and hoping something will stick.

I don't think Messi is doing this to get paid more, they guy is highest paid footballer in the world, not exactly short of cash.

I genuinely believe he wants to leave and we're his number one choice, all other fuckers are irrelevant or at least media trying to make them irrelevant for click baits.

I genuinely can't see him staying, he wants to win chimps league one more time before he retires, he won't do it at Barca at his age, they're going through rebuild and time is not on his side.

8/10 this is happening

[Mase]

Proof that Puyol is only after money if Garcia is used. Puyol openly told Messi to get out of Barca but he’s happy for Garcia to go? Makes zero sense until you look at how much money Puyol will make

[sheblue]

So many bitter fans around. I can’t understand why they wouldn’t want to see Messi in the league, playing every week.

Thats a bit harsh, fans are rightly concerned about this 'deal' whatever it might be, if it even happens. To me yes it would be great to have him, but not at too high a cost to the squad overall. Valid concerns, nothing to do with being bitter.

Some of the ideas flying around about this deal are plain mad.

[sheblue]

A couple of so called tabloids reporting £89.5 million plus Garcia, Jesus and Bernardo. Mad.

That would possibly be the worst ever deal in our history and possibly the PLs as well

Three young players Plus nearly £90m in exchange For a 33 year old? No fucking way

Could see us letting both Garcia and Angelino go but that would be about it. We are not desperate for him and won't be letting go of anyone who we want to keep. I did mention Mendy in the transfer thread but doubt Barca are that daft.....

Insanity. Furious if were proven to be that thick.

[Mase]

So many bitter fans around. I can’t understand why they wouldn’t want to see Messi in the league, playing every week.

Thats a bit harsh, fans are rightly concerned about this 'deal' whatever it might be, if it even happens. To me yes it would be great to have him, but not at too high a cost to the squad overall. Valid concerns, nothing to do with being bitter.

Some of the ideas flying around about this deal are plain mad.

I think you misunderstood mate. Fans of other clubs are bitter - “How can City afford this with FFP?”, “Messi is spent anyway” etc

[PeterParker]

I don't care that much about the rest, but Bernie needs to stay here.

[sheblue]

So many bitter fans around. I can’t understand why they wouldn’t want to see Messi in the league, playing every week.

Thats a bit harsh, fans are rightly concerned about this 'deal' whatever it might be, if it even happens. To me yes it would be great to have him, but not at too high a cost to the squad overall. Valid concerns, nothing to do with being bitter.

Some of the ideas flying around about this deal are plain mad.

I think you misunderstood mate. Fans of other clubs are bitter - “How can City afford this with FFP?”, “Messi is spent anyway” etc

Fair enough, but many other fans are always bitter, it would be really nice to get him at a reasonable cost, just top piss them off even more!!

[brite blu sky]

A couple of so called tabloids reporting £89.5 million plus Garcia, Jesus and Bernardo. Mad.

That would possibly be the worst ever deal in our history and possibly the PLs as well

Three young players Plus nearly £90m in exchange For a 33 year old? No fucking way

Could see us letting both Garcia and Angelino go but that would be about it. We are not desperate for him and won't be letting go of anyone who we want to keep. I did mention Mendy in the transfer thread but doubt Barca are that daft.....

Insanity. Furious if were proven to be that thick.

Seems the club has been quick to completely squash that rumour, thankfully.

I dont think the club will do anything foolish, even for the marketing gold mine on offer.

Seems to me that this will boil down to City helping devise something that will allow barca hierarchy to save face, although i'm not sure that is even possible, or just wait it out.
As the president guy and his regime are almost universally hated then the logic of helping them out or pandering to them is flawed, especially as it is likely that they will be ousted ( for losing generally and for the Messi thing ).
Sentiment in BCN is that Messi should be allowed to leave on a free, he is a saint and has done his service. So no-one is actually demading anything apart from the club regime.
The problem is the time it takes to get them ousted. It will happen but takes time for all the Socios to get polled.

I dont think the man or City will want to wait that long, so it all comes down to what could appease the current barca regime?
I dont beleive there is anything, as what they need is something to win back popularity - as dead men walking that would only be to resign with grace.

Personally if i were City i would be polling barca socios - find out as much as possible - with a view to calling the bluff of the president and his men. Then go down the route of just signing Messi, declaring his contract with Barca void and leaving it in their hands to take it to court - which wont happen as it would be another unpopular move that will further the push to get them out.

City can call their bluff and Messi can move on a free

[City64]

MCFC have just announced a pay as go funding deal raising £300 million . The Messi money right here right now !

[salford city]

A couple of so called tabloids reporting £89.5 million plus Garcia, Jesus and Bernardo. Mad.

That would possibly be the worst ever deal in our history and possibly the PLs as well

Three young players Plus nearly £90m in exchange For a 33 year old? No fucking way

Could see us letting both Garcia and Angelino go but that would be about it. We are not desperate for him and won't be letting go of anyone who we want to keep. I did mention Mendy in the transfer thread but doubt Barca are that daft.....

Insanity. Furious if were proven to be that thick.

Seems the club has been quick to completely squash that rumour, thankfully.

I dont think the club will do anything foolish, even for the marketing gold mine on offer.

Seems to me that this will boil down to City helping devise something that will allow barca hierarchy to save face, although i'm not sure that is even possible, or just wait it out.
As the president guy and his regime are almost universally hated then the logic of helping them out or pandering to them is flawed, especially as it is likely that they will be ousted ( for losing generally and for the Messi thing ).
Sentiment in BCN is that Messi should be allowed to leave on a free, he is a saint and has done his service. So no-one is actually demading anything apart from the club regime.
The problem is the time it takes to get them ousted. It will happen but takes time for all the Socios to get polled.

I dont think the man or City will want to wait that long, so it all comes down to what could appease the current barca regime?
I dont beleive there is anything, as what they need is something to win back popularity - as dead men walking that would only be to resign with grace.

Personally if i were City i would be polling barca socios - find out as much as possible - with a view to calling the bluff of the president and his men. Then go down the route of just signing Messi, declaring his contract with Barca void and leaving it in their hands to take it to court - which wont happen as it would be another unpopular move that will further the push to get them out.

City can call their bluff and Messi can move on a free

I don't think that he can move one free - only with the club's grace? He had the release clause on a free that was to be taken up by 10/12th of June. I know reports suggested that due to COVID all the contracts were extended, but I doubt that included his clause. I could be wrong, but if that clause HAS expired, they will rightly hold out for a fee.
He will have to turn up to training on monday to avoid further complications

[brite blu sky]

Argentinian press reporting a Messi statement saying he will leave to City on a free and will not counter any other deal and says barca have a moral obligation to allow it.

So yes this comes down to grace. or a court battle.

City are grace personified and i think will work hard to appease the barca regime. Like i say i'm not sure that is possible, will be a token if anything.

This is 100% politics. Messi has delivered a statement directly to barca fans apparently - explaining. again politics. Adamant he will leave on a free.

The Bartolmeu guy is in deep shit, very unpopular and will only make it worse by getting nasty. He is also 15% personally liable for barca losses under his stewardship - so that i think is where City could help him out.
Either way he is going to sink in acrimony.
My advice is call the two bit cowboy's bluff. I think Messi might actually do that himself, take Bartolmeu on and so insulate City as a club form all this.

we will see, but Messi is coming to City one way or another.

[Saul Goodman]

How can someone be so delusional? He has a contract. Barca are under no obligation to sell him and certainly have no "moral obligation" to let him go for free.

[PeterParker]

On a side note and not biased (if possible), what do you thing about the free card clause?

I am a bit torn, to be honest. I think, on a side, he needs to go free, he did so much to that club, from the marketing perspective and football wise. Barcelona was a top club, but he took them to another level.

But on the other hand, I can't think to imagine if he goes, Barcelona should get some money, thinking I would want that if he was our player and wanted out.

[Mase]

On a side note and not biased (if possible), what do you thing about the free card clause?

I am a bit torn, to be honest. I think, on a side, he needs to go free, he did so much to that club, from the marketing perspective and football wise. Barcelona was a top club, but he took them to another level.

But on the other hand, I can't think to imagine if he goes, Barcelona should get some money, thinking I would want that if he was our player and wanted out.

Agreed. I think they have a moral obligation. Not sure if anyone has mentioned it but just what I think anyway.

[carl_feedthegoat]

How can someone be so delusional? He has a contract. Barca are under no obligation to sell him and certainly have no "moral obligation" to let him go for free.

Not quite as black and white as that though , is it .

Season ends when you play the last match of the season - it only ended recently and his request to fuck off was faxed in time - in time ,meaning before the end of that current season .

It’s a lawyers job to define the wording To see who’s right and who’s wrong , and in your words , not some folk on an Internet forum .

He should just threaten them with our lawyers ))

[dave watson's perm]

How can someone be so delusional? He has a contract. Barca are under no obligation to sell him and certainly have no "moral obligation" to let him go for free.

Not quite as black and white as that though , is it .

Season ends when you play the last match of the season - it only ended recently and his request to fuck off was faxed in time - in time ,meaning before the end of that current season .

It’s a lawyers job to define the wording To see who’s right and who’s wrong , and in your words , not some folk on an Internet forum .

He should just threaten them with our lawyers ))

Well if the clause relates to the CL final then I guess the devil will be in the detail of the small print. I'm guessing it doesn't say "CL Final as long as it's held in May."

[Moses]

Okay is he any good? What position does he play?