by PrezIke » Mon Aug 09, 2021 3:19 pm
To those speculating why we would not "try" for Messi instead of Kane as some are hearing/wondering:
City are one of the best run clubs in European football.
I cannot fathom that Txiki/Khaldoon/Soriano...and of course Pep -- with a stronger voice this summer asking for Grealish and Kane -- are making decisions that are not sensible whilst taking into account the risks, pros and cons.
Does it seem likely given this that City did not even THINK about if they should/COULD get Messi AT ALL now?
This all reads more like a strategic decision in the context of circumstances.
Circumstances that are vastly different than last summer.
We know if this was happening last summer Messi is a City player.
Why not now, Sam Lee recently outlined quite well.
We were targeting Kane last summer but when Messi's availability came into the picture we abandoned that ALL IN for Messi.
Our Messi attempt failed due to matters out of our control at Barca.
Messi costs more than Kane even "free."
We are now deeper into the summer, MUCH further along with Kane, and just spent £100m on Grealish, with ZERO players sold, or likely to be sold for anything resembling good market value this summer.
We are likely selling Bernardo for £40-50M, FAR below his value.
PSG is now a clearer fit for Messi than we were last summer when we tried.
With Aguero gone, even if Messi has Pep, City now have zero Argentine players, or any of his mates.
PSG have Pochettino, Di Maria & Icardi & his mate, Neymar, who has said he misses playing with.
It's also Paris.
I just think we were 2nd choice this time.
If we tried for Messi we'd risk that AGAIN whilst PSG is the better choice now, and could appear with even worse egg on our face than what happened last summer.
City, I believe are tired of being embarrassed by big stars who don't come since we've reached our level, especially since Pep arrived (Mbappe and now Messi...and Neymar earlier can count)
If we went all in for Messi (no other way) and he STILL went to PSG ANYWAY, how would that affect Kane's willingness to come to City?
Kane is clearly more loyal than most stars - partially why I suspect Pep wants him - and is not excited about upsetting Spurs fans and he still has some ego to be where he is.
Spurs fans will know Kane was passed in twice by City for Messi. This could quire easily further fuel a negative narrative about him from the fans of his lifelong club is a narrative like, "We would never treat you like that, see what kind of club you're going to 'Harry!? Turncoat. Now we see your true colours."
City NEED/WILL BENEFIT TREMENDOUSLY from a no. 9 that FITS into Peps style to exude the squad's maximum potential output out of what we have - and with key players in peak years, full stop.
We went all last season without a striker of the requisite quality.
We miss on Kane pursuing Messi at the last minute, and then what!?! Another wasted season without a proper top level striker and otherwise the most talented squad in the world, with Pep on a short contract?
The other striker options are going, are gone, or are not available for anything reasonable as some thought (Halland).
It might lead him to might have even told City, I won't go through what happened last year. I want to feel WANTED.
We miss on Kane now, and I will support the concern about passing on Messi, but I suspect we will just pay the £150M (160?) as Levy has almost all the cards.
