Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

[BLUEBOY67]

Just out of interest PB as this is more your area (and I have read the above and it seems to make financial sense on the face of it short term), but we kept reading how we (City) had done the math(s) for this deal and it was definitely viable and profitable for us as a player, his commercial value, future revenue etc etc for CFG, if it was going to work for us as a long term strategy, why could it not work for Barca in a similar way, surely a Barca WITH Messi is a much more attractive proposition for any of their future business investment long term than one without, whether that be financial investment, player recruitment ? Is it simply that their current debt is way too much and they really do need to sell now/soon, 'a breast in the hand is worth two in the bra' so to speak ?
Cheers

Very Much still in play I believe - Maybe just Act 1 over. Barcelona NEED that new contract signed or financial suicide. How much confidence do they have he will sign it? Hence as the window rolls towards the end £100m - £50m + Garcia and Ang maybe enough (don’t like to pay anything but his commercial value makes it sense). If they leave it to Jan then the stakes are even higher - can sign pre contract and they are stuffed re any fee. I think we draw a line in Jan - sign a pre contract 2+2 or end of as do not want this next summer all over again. New board etc in March elections and he decides to stay and sign the contract ! Now let’s get the other signings done and put to back burner - if you can with the greatest player in history !

 

[Keeper!]

Cheers bud, and I do get that, and realise Messi with us, and a Messi with Barca wouldn't be an exact parallel thing on the playing side, was thinking more beyond that, hence my comment that a Barca WITH Messi is a much more attractive thing than one without long term.

I was just thinking that part of our long term strategy was to have the 'Messi name' attached to the CFG beyond his playing days, I guess there's nothing to stop him doing both other than the continuity it would provide.

I also think as he said himself his time at Barca is over in every way. He has been there most iconic player ever, has generated incredible interest in the club and the considerable commercial revenue that goes with it. But he is 33 and new heroes are needed by club and sponsors.

That's why I am not convinced about his worth to City, but I understand why the CFG would want a part of him.
Messi playing for NYCFC and in the MLS would be a licence to print money.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I also think as he said himself his time at Barca is over in every way. He has been there most iconic player ever, has generated incredible interest in the club and the considerable commercial revenue that goes with it. But he is 33 and new heroes are needed by club and sponsors.

That's why I am not convinced about his worth to City, but I understand why the CFG would want a part of him.
Messi playing for NYCFC and in the MLS would be a licence to print money.

I didn't realise he'd said that Keeper, seems at odds with the 'to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part', narrative he seemingly asserts in that interview and others.

I don't think for one moment that had Messi not made the grade decades ago that Barca wouldn't have dropped him like a sack of dog shit (like any other club), but the more I see and read (given Barca and Messi are always professing their undying love for each other) they'd be better off going to a marriage guidance consellor.

 

[Bald fraud]

no chance, he’ll sign new contract before xmas..

Hope he does and we should steer well clear in future if he rings pep again politely tell him to fuck off he’s used us one too many times now. We should be going all out for haaland or mbappe

 

[manimanc]

Just watched the interview. Nothing but respect for the player.

Eh?

 

[Coatigan]

Yeah, I’m sceptical that it will happen but I certainly don’t think he has misled us though, as you claimed. I think he’s done his best to force a transfer, but has reluctantly accepted that he will have to wait a year.

I agree with that. Still shat all over his club , still made a circus od it, and came off as lacking conviction. I don't get this, it isn't the club, it is the board arguement. If our board had got us banned and lost at CAS, it would 100% be the club getting it. Yet here, bartomeu is corrupt, but Barcelona, no squeaky clean saints.

It isn't reactionist, i've slept on it, i honestly right now don't want him. Not because he will be 34 next year, he will still be a good footballer. Not because of what he would cost, i trust the club's judgement there. But because of the side of his character i have seen that i now can't unsee. If he turned around and said, love the club, won't go to court, will help them rebuild for my last year snd then onto anew challenge, fine. But destroying it in the way he did, and not just his board btw, his teammates too, and making it all about him , that is so disappointing to see.

 

[Coatigan]

Whether the interview surprised pep and our lot , we can all guess on that. Personally i think it didn't, but i stop short of believing it was agreed, or 'instructed '.

But one person i certainly do not think it surprised in the slightest is bartomeu. The whole thing now seems one well rehearsed pre-agreed charade.

Both set their stalls, won't budge. Have ONE meeting, and immediately after leaks come out he will stay, which are dismissed, then they issue their statement , la liga instantly reply, then immediate leaks confidently claim he is staying, and a pre recorded video comes out mere hours later. I call schenanigens.

Edit: and within an hour of that, Barcelona use images of him in the new kit with quotes he is staying, loves the club, and announce they won't fine him for skipping training. All agreed imho.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I don't think we should bother with getting him to join next season. Not sure what an unhappy season in a shit Barca team is going to do for him and as we saw with David and Fernandinho last season, a year can make all the difference.

I reckon it just becomes that much more of a gamble in footballing terms but I'm sure the marketing opportunities will still be enticing to the club.

 

[Keeper!]

I don't think we should bother with getting him to join next season. Not sure what an unhappy season in a shit Barca team is going to do for him and as we saw with David and Fernandinho last season, a year can make all the difference.

I reckon it just becomes that much more of a gamble in footballing terms but I'm sure the marketing opportunities will still be enticing to the club.

Agreed but I still think the CFG will want him, if only to become a part of NYCFC, that part of the group needs a lot of work to be successful.
Messi, CFG and MLS would rake in the cash with Messi as the figurehead of the league.

 

[City Raider]

Can you imagine the uproar if we forced a player to stay?