Messi to City now 'thinkable'

[bayblue]

Its not going to happen so move on!

Spoilsport....

[zuricity]

Ooohhh ! I can hear it now . Three years time. "Oh Rodney Rodney, Rodney Rodney Rodney Rodney Kongolo".

[john@staustell]

El Confidencial and AS are still doing their best to drum this up as of yesterday.

http://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/ ... na_103967/

I'll give some bullet points as I haven't got time to translate the lot now.

Messi still a big worry at Barca, not signed new extension
His dad has asked them for 25 M euros pa, Barca wont pay
Until recently a Barca without Messi seemed impossible, not now
In public player and club still profess eternal love and deal nearly done
Long way from the truth
The Neymar fiasco/signing has prompted the Messi camp to demand 25M pa
The tax in Catalonia is 56%
City are willing to pay this amount
Barca's dilemma is they face paying a massive contract to Messi or taking in the same amount in transfer fee from City - an enormous financial difference
The re-signing of Messi would solve a lot of their problems, but the question is whether the price is too high
Barca's wage bill is more than Real, but Valdes and Puyol are off
Financial position not good
Jorge Messi is responsable for completing what will be the biggest deal in football (stay or go) - up to 400M euros (fee and wage)
For the moment he is talking to Faus (Barca) but knows City's position
PSG discounted due to high tax rate
Clear that Messi has recovered fully after injury

[Blue Since 76]

El Confidencial and AS are still doing their best to drum this up as of yesterday.

http://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/ ... na_103967/

I'll give some bullet points as I haven't got time to translate the lot now.

Messi still a big worry at Barca, not signed new extension
His dad has asked them for 25 M euros pa, Barca wont pay
Until recently a Barca without Messi seemed impossible, not now
In public player and club still profess eternal love and deal nearly done
Long way from the truth
The Neymar fiasco/signing has prompted the Messi camp to demand 25M pa
The tax in Catalonia is 56%
City are willing to pay this amount
Barca's dilemma is they face paying a massive contract to Messi or taking in the same amount in transfer fee from City - an enormous financial difference
The re-signing of Messi would solve a lot of their problems, but the question is whether the price is too high
Barca's wage bill is more than Real, but Valdes and Puyol are off
Financial position not good
Jorge Messi is responsable for completing what will be the biggest deal in football (stay or go) - up to 400M euros (fee and wage)
For the moment he is talking to Faus (Barca) but knows City's position
PSG discounted due to high tax rate
Clear that Messi has recovered fully after injury

£500k a week? Who does he think he is? Rooney?

[Dameerto]

I'd rather spend that money on Shaw and a top drawer central defender (assuming we're losing Lescott)

[ENIAM NAM]

I'd rather spend that money on Shaw and a top drawer central defender (assuming we're losing Lescott)

Pmsl

[Dubciteh]

I'd rather spend that money on Shaw and a top drawer central defender (assuming we're losing Lescott)

Pmsl

I laughed too that has to be a joke right?

[Slim]

Anyone get the feeling he is laying the groundwork for leaving? I want to stay, as long as the club want me here, I'll be here.

Gets sold and it's the club who wanted it, not him.

[BlueinBosnia]

...in Summer 2015 now.

[Im_Spartacus]

...in Summer 2015 now.

Surely the transfer ban is incoming only?

You can't prevent a club selling a player, you would cause untold problems for the club financially if they had to let players contracts run down rather than selling

[Goaters 103]

...in Summer 2015 now.

Surely the transfer ban is incoming only?

You can't prevent a club selling a player, you would cause untold problems for the club financially if they had to let players contracts run down rather than selling

The ban will never stand anyway John, and will be overturned on appeal with a fine and suspended sentence levied instead, just like the Chelsea one that never was.

[PeterParker]

No, they can sell, however, why would they do that?

It will be interesting to see what is happening with Ter Stegen and Halilovic.

[BlueinBosnia]

...in Summer 2015 now.

Surely the transfer ban is incoming only?

You can't prevent a club selling a player, you would cause untold problems for the club financially if they had to let players contracts run down rather than selling

Not according to BBC: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26852466

The Catalan club cannot buy or sell players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.

[geepeetee]

...in Summer 2015 now.

Surely the transfer ban is incoming only?

You can't prevent a club selling a player, you would cause untold problems for the club financially if they had to let players contracts run down rather than selling

Not according to BBC: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26852466

The Catalan club cannot buy or sell players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.

On the subject of smaller than average footballers "Height Wise" , Does anybody think this is for real.....

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/videos/1 ... video.html

[JamieMCFC]

...in Summer 2015 now.

Surely the transfer ban is incoming only?

You can't prevent a club selling a player, you would cause untold problems for the club financially if they had to let players contracts run down rather than selling

Not according to BBC: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26852466

The Catalan club cannot buy or sell players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.

BBC has edited it.

The Catalan club cannot buy players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.

[ashton287]

No chance of selling him if they can't spend the money strengthening and without him they would need alot of strengthening.

[Hazy2]

No chance of selling him if they can't spend the money strengthening and without him they would need alot of strengthening.

His father might also take the view "The workload might be doubled with no help coming in "

[BlueinBosnia]

...in Summer 2015 now.

Surely the transfer ban is incoming only?

You can't prevent a club selling a player, you would cause untold problems for the club financially if they had to let players contracts run down rather than selling

Not according to BBC: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26852466

The Catalan club cannot buy or sell players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.

BBC has edited it.

The Catalan club cannot buy players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.

Thanks. Thought it was an odd punishment, as it would essentially trap players there, and potentially be open to all kinds of legal challenges...

[The Maine Man]

Interesting, but I just can't see it with FFP.

He is one of a very small number of players on the planet who could be expected to bring into the club additional revenue almost equal to the cost in fees/wages.

This. I was in Barcelona in February, did the stadium tour and went to a game. The whole place is built around him. People from all over the world were buying nothing but Messi paraphernalia and when he got on the ball there were foreigners everywhere literally screaming. He has massive financial pull. It would also mean the media/FA/EPL would finally have to admit that we are a real commercial force as well as a playing force and stop marginalising us.

While I'm daydreaming of Messi at the Etihad and my lottery win on Saturday, I have to say that signing Messi and Utd getting relegated would pretty much complete the dream story of the last few years. It would be our fairytale!

[nottsblue]

If reports over his contract are to be believed, £330k after tax per week, is he worth breaking the bank for?

Last year I'd have said yes, but I'm not so sure now. Especially seen as how it would be a huge transfer outlay as well. Much as I'd love a player of his calibre at City, economically it can't be justified