Lionel Messi to Manchester City Transfer Latest News Update: Barcelona Talisman Rumoured to Leave Camp Nou After Fallout
Speculations about Messi moving away from Barcelona for other pastures were already doing the rounds. And with Pep Guardiola joining City as their head coach along with other technical members from the Blaugrana camp, City were always the front-runners. It is also important to take note that City are perhaps the only club in the planet that could afford him.
Lionel Messi’s public spat with FC Barcelona’s technical director and former team-mate Eric Abidal has put clubs on alert with Manchester City set to be monitoring the 32-year-old’s Argentine’s situation at Barcelona. City, it is believed, are ready to sign the Barcelona captain next season and if things indeed go their way, City could actually get Messi for free. Messi reportedly has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave Barcelona for free at the end of this season if he so desires and although such a situation is very unlikely, the Argentine could be prised away from the Catalan giants with a hefty signing fee. City, however, are not alone in the race for the signature of arguably the world’s greatest player ever. Lionel Messi Refusing to be a Part of Pre-Match Huddle Makes Us Wonder If All is Well in Barcelona Camp (Watch Video).
Speculations about Messi moving away from Barcelona for other pastures were already doing the rounds since the last couple of seasons. And with Pep Guardiola joining City as their head coach along with other technical members from the Blaugrana camp, City were always the front-runners. It is also important to take note that City are perhaps the only club in the planet that could afford the hefty signing fee and contract that Messi would command from any club he joins. Barcelona Manager Quique Setien Spills the Beans on Messi-Abidal Spat Ahead of Athletic Bilbao Match.
Messi’s current yearly wages at FC Barcelona are said to be above £50 million which immediately rules out the majority of the clubs. Real Madrid are also reportedly interested in signing him if the Argentine leaves Barcelona at the end of this season.
Messi’s current contract runs till 2021 and the superstar is yet to sign an extension despite announcing his desire to retire at the Catalan club. In his years at Barcelona, Messi has almost single-handedly destroyed Real Madrid multiple times in the past and Madrid president will hope they can sign the footballing great to exact revenge on their arch-rivals.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 06, 2020 03:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).