Every fan forum in the internet is suddenly flooded with “inside sources” who have Messi signing for them on a free
PSG has Di Maria, City has Pep and Aguero. Probably comes down to them.Realistically where could he go?
PSG
City
United
Juve?
Real? Would he? He wouldn't. Right?
As a Boca fan, mine would too.As a River fan, my head would explode.
I agree, I don't see why he'd leave Barca to go anywhere except the EPL. What little personality insight we have on him is that he's driven to win, at a Kobe / Tom Brady kind of level. He was shaped by Pep, who is cut from the same mould. There are 5 teams in the EPL who could at least plausibly afford him, but I think we can scratch Arsenal and even Chelsea given where they're at right now. But City have to be considered the favorites - helping Pep get over the hump and winning the only thing he hasn't won - andIf Messi went to Ligue 1 I feel like he would play like, 15 matches a year and only focus on Champion's League.
I suppose from a competitive standpoint, the most attractive thing to Messi would be to win another league, probably the EPL. What else is there for him to do at the club level? PSG could pay him for sure, but would he really want to play a non-competitive league and then hinge everything on winning yet another UCL title? If he went to one of the Manchester clubs it would be a fascinating development where he would be playing in the most competitive league in the world and trying to do something new, while still trying to win in UCL.
As a neutral, Messi to Real Madrid would be by far the most entertaining, if only to see the absolute schadenfreude that would come from it.
Wasn't that just a loan from Inter?PSG has Icardi and Wanda, so I’d guess it’ll be City unless PSG ship him off.
Initially, yeah, but there was a four year extension relatively recently.Wasn't that just a loan from Inter?
It became a permanent transfer in late May, with a four year contract.Wasn't that just a loan from Inter?
This has PSG written all over it IMO. Also would be brutal to see him at City.
Inter have got a new billionaire owner, so that would be one reason. The Messi's also have Italian passports and have just purchased property in Milan as well (the father I think). That could be linked to a new Italian tax that encourages Italians to come back home having moved abroad.For some reason there’s a lot of chatter about Inter but it’d really surprise me. In general I’d favor PSG in these things as he could tear that league to shreds for another 3-4 years without much of a problem
A ways back I saw a bit of chatter about a different Inter (Miami) as a possible landing zone for Messi. Would be a completely left field move, but who knows.Inter have got a new billionaire owner, so that would be one reason. The Messi's also have Italian passports and have just purchased property in Milan as well (the father I think). That could be linked to a new Italian tax that encourages Italians to come back home having moved abroad.
I’d be shocked any notable player signed with MLS while the US struggles with COVID.A ways back I saw a bit of chatter about a different Inter (Miami) as a possible landing zone for Messi. Would be a completely left field move, but who knows.
Maybe, but rates in Europe seem to be rising again too, so these seems....I don't know...likely not a huge factor to me.I’d be shocked any notable player signed with MLS while the US struggles with COVID.
isn't "loyalty fee" the most oxymoronic thing, ever?Also, 120M EUR "loyalty fee"? So much for that!
Rapids could use a number tenOPEN UP THE CHECKBOOK KROENKE
I think Ronaldo to Juventus was a confluence of several factors. Of the richest clubs in the world, he had already played for City’s rival, Barca’s rival, and was already playing for Real, plus PSG had just acquired Neymar. This eliminated many competing bids from the usual suspects. Besides Juventus, there were not many other conceivable destinations. I expect City and PSG to blow any Juve bid out of the water.No idea if it would actually work on the field, but Juve combining Ronaldo with Messi would be awesome entertainment
Marcelo Bechler, the Brazilian journalist in Catalonia who was on this story early (I posted a tweet from him about Messi wanting out in the transfer thread maybe 10 days ago), claims that Messi wants to go to City.
It makes the most sense out of all the possible scenarios that I can see. And would also explain why City has been seemingly dragging their feet about signing Koulibaly.
I think Barca will fight tooth and nail to make sure he doesn’t leave on a free. No idea what the transfer fee will end up being but Barca will really need the money to buy new players.
They should return some jackets, while they're at it.Also get City would get substantial “FU, FFP” value out of signing Messi. Shouldn’t discount spite.
Stop guys I need to sleep tonight.Multiple sites including the Athletic and ESPN reporting he has spoken to Pep about going to City and it’s his preferred landing spot.
Leo Messi is the highest-paid athlete in the world, bar none. His house in Barcelona is apparently very nice, but he's not known for having a Michael Jordan-esque lifestyle. I assume it's a matter of personal pride, like how US athletes say it's about "respect".I’m an admirer from afar, but is there something about Messi’s lifestyle that would make him purely financially driven at this point?
It seems like his primary goal is to get the hell away from the slow-motion train wreck that is Barca these days. I’m sure he’ll want to maximize revenue to some degree, but will that be his main motivator?
Well, "fee" derives from "fief", so I guess if you consider the players to be serfs...isn't "loyalty fee" the most oxymoronic thing, ever?
I'd laugh when he suddenly loses his touch and peppers the Goodison crowd with wayward finishing. Just Everton things.
Can he play left back?I'd laugh when he suddenly loses his touch and peppers the Goodison crowd with wayward finishing. Just Everton things.
Years ago, ESPN (I believe...) had an article about Messi and described him a low-key guy who didn't completely fit in any of his worlds. Even though he had been in Barcelona for so long, he kept very attached to Argentina and many of his circles, including like his butcher and hairdresser, were Argentine. But he wasn't really Argentinian since he spent so many of his formative years in Barcelona. I got the sense that he was a family guy who loved to play soccer and avoid the fame as much as possible given he's Messi.Leo Messi is the highest-paid athlete in the world, bar none. His house in Barcelona is apparently very nice, but he's not known for having a Michael Jordan-esque lifestyle. I assume it's a matter of personal pride, like how US athletes say it's about "respect".
Anyway, let's not discount the possibility that this is a stunt like his "retirement" from the Argentina NT, and that his real goal is to get Bartomeu fired into the sun, and then stay.