It's Quiet thread 14 - 'do one' edition

[WesthoughtonJohn]

I get very confused on here sometimes.

I'm sure there's a thread on the forum that has Messi in the title, but it seems every single bloody thread relates to him at the moment.

As a season ticket holder I'd love to see him here - he's not the only player we need though is he??

Let's have some news on our defence options, which we really need

 

[cjn]

Stories about him staying are just impatience and attempts to keep people clicking.

Obviously this. This is a massive story that every journalist even remotely related to Barca needs to be seen as covering, but the problem is that there's been very little in the way of actual developments for the last few days.

What do we know as facts? 1. Messi faxed the club his formal intention to leave. 2. He didn't show up to his covid tests or training. and 3. Jorge Messi is flying to Barcelona right now. None of these things would be happening if he was sticking around, and there's no evidence whatever that his stance has changed (in fact his agent taking a 14 hour flight to Barcelona is almost certain proof he's leaving because he's clearly not there to sign a new contract). The idea that any of these guys have a clue much beyond this, or especially the idea that they know what Pep and Leo talked about in private is obvious nonsense that's been made up to sell newspapers.

 

[slbsn]

I assume that Messi has a corporation already set up in a tax haven to receive his image rights payments, like most PL players do.

Would that be a workaround for the 45% NI?

Shouldn't be but wouldn't shock if they tried something "clever"

 

[Neville Kneville]

Absolutely everything?

He went on a 3 day "holiday" with his assistant manager to Barcelona the moment it all kicked off.

But that was after it kicked off.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

I mean if he wanted a new deal , he’s current one up in ten months surely they would of sat down and sorted a new deal , it wouldn’t of gone this public surely ?? I knew he wants the board gone but surely he could of said I’m not signing a new deal to the elections and Man City of offered x amount !!! A few briefs from his side city are interested etc like before , it’s never ever ever gone this far , saying I’m not a Barcelona player anymore , not turning up to training all in the public eye, what for to get 100k a week more and get Bart out ??? Sounds far fetched to me he’s staying

 

[cjn]

I assume that Messi has a corporation already set up in a tax haven to receive his image rights payments, like most PL players do.

Would that be a workaround for the 45% NI?

Most definitely! Him and his dad were prominent figures in the Panama Papers release. At least at one point him or his father has or had corporations in Belize, Uruguay, and Panama.

 

[slbsn]

They can just promise him a Figure once he has retired from football like making him an ambassador there is always ways around it.

There aren't ways around it legally. But yes they could do that.

 

[blue oli]

There aren't ways around it legally. But yes they could do that.

Share options are often payed as a bonus with a delay clause prior to being able to cash them though ?

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

You mean a fraudulent, fake transaction to evade tax? Yeah, they could do that.

I don't dismiss the possibility City just pay the tax - we seem determined to do the deal at any cost. But there has to be limits.

Messi doesn't do tax.

But if we offered him share oprtions in CFG, for instance. and if the reports about moving to New York for the last 2 years of his contract are true, then he wouldn't be a UK resident when he exercised the options.

 

[slbsn]

Share options are often payed as a bonus with a delay clause prior to being able to cash them though ?

Options are worthless unless the value of the option increases. But the strike price needs to be market value ie $5bn