Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

[Coatigan]

Bets on contract extension, or at least staying as is

 

[asahartford1]

Video unavailable, he was having a rest)

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

So Messi apart, is there any news on other signings likely to be made this week ?

 

[Coatigan]

If Messi is coming, get used to it!

He is not though.

Swap for gundo, mibby. Swap for b.silva? no chance, not for me.

 

[bluesince76]

I know that's the argument, but again I have my doubts, Messi in a Barca shirt is iconic, he is Mr Barca, but he been for over 10 years, do the younger kids now identify with him? Us old farts do without doubt but we are not the ones the sponsors are interested in.

Ea Sports and the Fifa franchise is a case in point . Whatever you think of Fifa , their marketing is outstanding, Messi was the face of that game for a long time, no longer. Mbappe is now their man, why, because to the kids and young adults , Mbappe is the future.

Would Etihad or any other company contribute 200/300k a week to have a picture of Messi in a city shirt? Again , I am genuinely not sure.

Messi has been the face of PES. Presume a licensing thing in the same way that Juve have some weird name in FIFA.

I have footballing doubts about a 33 year old Messi, but if the club think they can cover the costs, I'm sure they can

 

[asahartford1]

It wont be the first time we`ve done that.

Robinho was an unqualified success

 

[Coatigan]

I'd take NYC signing him and loaning him to us for two seasons, just to watch Tabas combust.

 

[dubblue]

He is staying at Barcelona, that is always the conclusion to these whipped up media storms.

No doubt about it.

 

[manimanc]

10 year contract incoming...

 

[LIBlue]

So Sergio to revert back to the good old #16 ? ;D

 

[decmancity]

Likely he announces its his final season I reckon, will give Barca 12mths to sort themselves out. Id still take him on a free next year.

 

[Craig]

It is an interesting question - how would you fit Messi into our first 11? I am not saying he wouldn’t fit in, in fact I am saying the very opposite. Would you play him as part of a front 3? If so would Aguero or Messi go wide? Would you play him as part of a two man attacking midfield or would KDB drop deep? What you might call an embarrassment of attacking riches problem!

I’d say against shite who don’t leave their own half you play him on the right of the front 3 with KDB and Foden playing as 8’s. Against say Liverpool you play him as a false 9 with Jesus left and Sterling right. Plenty of legs in the side to make runs past him. When he then drops deep you’ve got the best number 10 in the world who can help keep the ball all day and also play the perfect pass for runners in behind like Sterling, Jesus and Foden.

 

[Mancity1980]

Robinho was an unqualified success

Mmmm, he was a good signing who no doubt improved us and excited the crowd, but he was a record transfer fee, something we have not done since and look at the team we now have. I would say as a statement signing he was an unqualified success.

 

[Paladin]

Sure we'd have some good days at the Etihad battering some weak sides and seeing Messi score a hatr-trick as he still does with barcelona but can you imagine going to Anfield with Messi in the side. It would be a humiliation.

Think back to Liverpool v Barcelona two seasons ago. They destroyed that side, and Anfield baited him as he trudged off the pitch.

Maybe Pep would realise this, and choose one of the other 24 people in his squad to play in this particular game.

 

[LIBlue]

Likely he announces its his final season I reckon, will give Barca 12mths to sort themselves out. Id still take him on a free next year.

I don’t know if he would though knowing a new board comes in next year and that could change his mind?

 

[Mancity1980]

I’d say against shite who don’t leave their own half you play him on the right of the front 3 with KDB and Foden playing as 8’s. Against say Liverpool you play him as a false 9 with Jesus left and Sterling right. Plenty of legs in the side to make runs past him. When he then drops deep you’ve got the best number 10 in the world who can help keep the ball all day and also play the perfect pass for runners in behind like Sterling, Jesus and Foden.

Sounds good, so against Liverpool you would drop a fit on form Aguero? They do play together for Argentina.

 

[TheThirdDeano]

The tension is Palpable.

 

[zepenedo]

Does anyone know what time Messi will be making his announcement?

 

[asahartford1]

Mmmm, he was a good signing who no doubt improved us and excited the crowd, but he was a record transfer fee, something we have not done since and look at the team we now have. I would say as a statement signing he was an unqualified success.

As a "statement signing "maybe, from my east stand level 1 viewpoint, I thought he was a tad overweight, not particularly fit, and looked like someone with his considerable potential behind him, and certainly didn't last long.

 

[manimanc]

Does anyone know what time Messi will be making his announcement?

I can think of one person.