Messi Rumours .......

[City64]

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football ... cid=TSHDHP

[Feed The Goat]

Unless FFP gets scrapped can't see anyone signing him

[City64]

Unless FFP gets scrapped can't see anyone signing him

Chelski prepared to unlock the $300 million release clause with 6 year deal ?

That is the end of FFP surely ?

[Blue Since 76]

He's one of two players in the world that a club could pay the £200m or so needed and probably make it work with FFP due to shirt sales, increased ticket sales and corporate etc.

Big gamble if it turns out he's no good against Stoke on a wet November evening though.

[zuricity]

He's one of two players in the world that a club could pay the £200m or so needed and probably make it work with FFP due to shirt sales, increased ticket sales and corporate etc.

Big gamble if it turns out he's no good against Stoke on a wet November evening though.

yep wednesdays evenings he plays Bingo down at the pally.

[nottsblue]

Difficult one this in some respects. Lets get one thing straight. He is very unlikely to leave Barca any time soon.

But, if (and it is a big if) he does decide to leave Barca, can we afford not to buy him? If the Chavs get him they will go to another level. Same for PSG and our European ambitions will be dented. Its Chelsea that could concern me though. Even though it would take the best part of half a billion quid to get him it would be amortised over 5/6 years and their sponsorship would go through the roof. This is just the sort of signing Abramovich dreams of.

I am torn on Messi. Some days I think great, what a signing he'd be, raising the profile of City to unprecedented levels and having the worlds best player over the last 5/6 years on board. Then other days stories come out of what a cunt Messi is and how he is disruptive and not a team player and I think he would be a bad signing for us.

Would it be better to have him in our squad and blow a couple of years budget on him or have him in Chelseas squad and let them suffer with budget restraints and hope his star is waning?

I know if we were in for him I'd be excited like I haven't been since Robinho

[City64]

Before this rumoured bid by Chelski for Messi didn't they ( Chelski) suddenly change there stand on FFP a few weeks ago ?

[Bianchi on Ice]

Im sure all this is being used as leverage on Messis next contract negotiations with Barcelona. I would be amazed if he left.

[Beefymcfc]

Good to see the real threads are alive.

[Spurge]

BBC article on who could afford Messi. Within this article includes a list of most valuable players. Aguero vauled at £15m less than Costa - thats a joke! Also Pogba considered more expensive. And Hazard who most of us would want in our starting line up valued a full £25m+ more expensive than Kun. I'm not having that!


Lionel Messi: Who can afford to sign Barcelona striker?

By Simon Stone
BBC Sport
Only two clubs could buy Lionel Messi outright and satisfy Financial Fair Play, according to a finance expert.
And Real Madrid and Manchester United would struggle to pay Messi's wages without breaking Uefa's rules.
The rest of Europe's elite would have to stagger a payment over a number of years to meet the £170m valuation.
"With the revenue they generate and cash reserves, only United and Real Madrid could pay the fee," said Rob Wilson of Sheffield Hallam University.
"With salary costs probably even they couldn't stay within FFP."
World's most valuable players
Source: CIES Football Observatory (January, 2015)
220m Euros (£172.43m) Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
133m Euros (£104.24m) Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
99m Euros (£77.60m) Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
84m Euros (£65.84m) Diego Costa (Chelsea)
72m Euros (£56.43m) Paul Pogba (Juventus)
65m Euros (£50.95m) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

[Ted Hughes]

What the fuck is that silly cunt talking about ?

Of course people like Utd, & City, can afford Messi. They will get a huge increase in sponsorship & shirt sales to pay for it. And the transfer fee will be spread over the length of the contract, as far as ffp is concerned.

And Aguero @ 50 mil ??? On what fucking planet ?

[blues2win]

Mirror saying that Barca want Txiki and Soriano back. No way. Aguero is worth over 100 million euros, probably much more. If Messi ever becomes available we will go all out to get him. Can you imagine if Chelsea or the Rags got home? Unthinkable. Our two Spanish bosses would be expected to get their man and I'm sure they would. Personally I think he'll stay where he is and Luis Enrique will get the tin tack.

[twosips]

The idea that Costa is worth 15m more than Aguero is hilarious.

[Ted Hughes]

Mirror saying that Barca want Txiki and Soriano back. No way. Aguero is worth over 100 million euros, probably much more. If Messi ever becomes available we will go all out to get him. Can you imagine if Chelsea or the Rags got home? Unthinkable. Our two Spanish bosses would be expected to get their man and I'm sure they would. Personally I think he'll stay where he is and Luis Enrique will get the tin tack.

I think that's what will happen.

Can't see Messi working with Mourinho if he does opt to leave though. Would either be the Count or Slughead who he would pick to work with I imagine.

If Messi leaves Barca, it will be a question of whether we decide we want him, at the cost involved imo. If he is for sale, & we want him, we will get him. If we don't want him, then others have a crack at it.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Messi to leave Barca? It'll never happen (at least before he's past it).

[Blue Since 76]

Mirror saying that Barca want Txiki and Soriano back. No way. Aguero is worth over 100 million euros, probably much more. If Messi ever becomes available we will go all out to get him. Can you imagine if Chelsea or the Rags got home? Unthinkable. Our two Spanish bosses would be expected to get their man and I'm sure they would. Personally I think he'll stay where he is and Luis Enrique will get the tin tack.

Just heard that and apparently Barca want the Count with them. It's almost as if we've got a game with them coming.

[Tesl]

Messi would be huge in terms of growing the City brand and the commercial opportunities that come with that.

But can we please to god drop this fucking "Pay for itself in shirt sales" canard? Shirt sales account for a tiny fraction of revenue and in the big picture would make no fucking difference. Messi or anybody else.

(He won't leave Barca anyway)

[stevefromdonny]

can I just say, he carnt leave until NEXT summer [2016] because barca is not allowed to do transfers in or out

[Im_Spartacus]

can I just say, he carnt leave until NEXT summer [2016] because barca is not allowed to do transfers in or out

Whilst they may have a transfer ban, being unable to sell constitutes restraint of free movement of labour, contrary to European law. So regardless what UEFA say, they can most definitely sell.

[Blue Since 76]

Messi would be huge in terms of growing the City brand and the commercial opportunities that come with that.

But can we please to god drop this fucking "Pay for itself in shirt sales" canard? Shirt sales account for a tiny fraction of revenue and in the big picture would make no fucking difference. Messi or anybody else.

(He won't leave Barca anyway)

The only post which mentions shirt sales is mine, which mentions it alongside corporate sales and extra tickets etc. So clearly it wouldn't pay for itself in shirt sales, but no one had said that, so try reading the posts before moaning.