Every player has his price

[john@staustell]

So City are wrapping up 'mind-blowing signings' (source dodgy 'Arry).

And Barcelona are €400-odd euros in debt, whilst showing little sign of reducing their wage bill.

So:

1) Would City really, really push the boat out and smash the world transfer record?

and

2) How much would it take for Barcelona to accept?


.............for one Lionel Messi?

Forget your Kaká and Caicedo. Messi is the man if we want to 'arrive'.

[Blue Blood]

So City are wrapping up 'mind-blowing signings' (source dodgy 'Arry).

And Barcelona are €400-odd euros in debt, whilst showing little sign of reducing their wage bill.

So:

1) Would City really, really push the boat out and smash the world transfer record?

and

2) How much would it take for Barcelona to accept?


.............for one Lionel Messi?


Forget your Kaká and Caicedo. Messi is the man if we want to 'arrive'.

200 million easily.

Best player not only in the world now but imo the greatest to ever play the game.

Out of reach sadly, not because of money however, just because of his love for barca.

[Dronny]

So City are wrapping up 'mind-blowing signings' (source dodgy 'Arry).

And Barcelona are €400-odd euros in debt, whilst showing little sign of reducing their wage bill.

So:

1) Would City really, really push the boat out and smash the world transfer record?

and

2) How much would it take for Barcelona to accept?


.............for one Lionel Messi?

Forget your Kaká and Caicedo. Messi is the man if we want to 'arrive'.

Ha ha ha........Messi, yep, Kaka, aye, Caicedo,really John go and lie down in a darkened room!

[craigmcfc]

Forgetting that he wouldn't move from Barca anyway, I have one further comment -

Financial Fair Play Rules

[Chinners]

We'd get Messi for about £100mil fee plus shitloads of wages I reckon ..... don't think he'd want to come to us thou

[Chad]

We have a thread of this ilk every bloody transfer window.

It will never happen.

[Avalon]

And as I said in another topic, Guardiola once jokingly said £250m.

However, Messi won't leave Barcelona and to be frank, who can blame him. They moved his family to Spain, paid his doctor, treatments and medication. Barcelona did a lot for Messi, more than what a lot of people think.

[Ted Hughes]

And as I said in another topic, Guardiola once jokingly said £250m.

However, Messi won't leave Barcelona and to be frank, who can blame him. They moved his family to Spain, paid his doctor, treatments and medication. Barcelona did a lot for Messi, more than what a lot of people think.

He may leave later in his career though, just to try something different or if they lose their dominance & need the money, which is not impossible, however good they are. If/when he leaves, we'll be in the frame.

[Mike J]

as already mentioned it is unlikely to ever happen. but for conversations sake i think they would have to start listening at the 120million mark surely.

tbh id have an 80m ronaldo over a 120m + messi

[lets all have a disco]

Messi will do a Giggs,One club man.

[CityGer]

Messi is the exception. I honestly think we could offer them £200Mil in cash and they'd turn it down. He'll hold all sorts of records by the time he leaves Barca which I think he will do at some stage in his career.

[Blue Blood]

Forgetting that he wouldn't move from Barca anyway, I have one further comment -

Financial Fair Play Rules

I counter that with;

Stadium naming rights deal.

100% legit way round the problem.

[13021J]

Forgetting that he wouldn't move from Barca anyway, I have one further comment -

Financial Fair Play Rules

The interesting thin is if we signed Messi for £200m, then "fair value" for the naming rights (Etihad) surely jumps up in line with that doesn't it?

[CityGer]

Forgetting that he wouldn't move from Barca anyway, I have one further comment -

Financial Fair Play Rules

I counter that with;

Stadium naming rights deal.

100% legit way round the problem.

UEFA will definitely counter this with some sort of legislation. There's no way they would go to the trouble of implementing these rules and leave things wide open for a club to get round round them by calling their ground 'The Etihad Stadium' for £400mil a year.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Messi is a drug cheat, he should be banned for life for all those growth hormones.

And Barcelona should be kicked out of all comps for their part. Right after they hammer the Rags in the CL final of course.

[sandman]

Messi would not be as good in the Premier League. A lot of his genius comes because where he is he has the time on the ball to do what he's best at. In our league he would be kicked, out-muscled and out paced.

I remember watching Pele and thinking he was unbelievable in his league, fantastic in internationals (often against a mix of capabilities) but thinking he made the right decision not coming to a better league as the reputation outwayed the evidence.

[Mike J]

Messi would not be as good in the Premier League. A lot of his genius comes because where he is he has the time on the ball to do what he's best at. In our league he would be kicked, out-muscled and out paced.

I remember watching Pele and thinking he was unbelievable in his league, fantastic in internationals (often against a mix of capabilities) but thinking he made the right decision not coming to a better league as the reputation outwayed the evidence.

i disagree. messi usually seems to get closed down in an instant. i think one of his strongest attributes is that he is exceptional in those tiny spaces. he always seems to come out of it with the ball, even when in full flight.

probably overtaken the brazilian ronaldo as the most gifted player ive seen in my life time.

[sandman]

Messi would not be as good in the Premier League. A lot of his genius comes because where he is he has the time on the ball to do what he's best at. In our league he would be kicked, out-muscled and out paced.

I remember watching Pele and thinking he was unbelievable in his league, fantastic in internationals (often against a mix of capabilities) but thinking he made the right decision not coming to a better league as the reputation outwayed the evidence.

i disagree. messi usually seems to get closed down in an instant. i think one of his strongest attributes is that he is exceptional in those tiny spaces. he always seems to come out of it with the ball, even when in full flight.

probably overtaken the brazilian ronaldo as the most gifted player ive seen in my life time.

I think he retains possesion well, but facing the bigger stronger faster players in our league I dont think he would be a world beater.

Certainly well above average but not as good as people would like him to be... He is in the right place for his playing style.

[gaudy]

does he track back though?

[paulmclaren]

I really do think Messi would struggle in our league out of the Barcelona side?
He's been made into mr Barcelona there.
Taking him out of that i seriously think he wouldn't be half the player he is in that team.