You certainly aren't a moron but this is do-able financially. My issue would be raising the cash rather than meeting FFP. For that, we might have to sell someone we'd prefer not to.
Under FFP we can lose up to €10m a year in a 3-year period, which equates to £27m or £9m a year. We've made profits of £10m per annum the last 2 years, plus we can add back about £30m per annum in allowable expenses. That means our FFP-adjusted profit is something like £40m in each of the last 2 years, leaving us £49m a year to play with and still just about meet FFP.
If Messi brings in £40m a year additional commercial income, that's nearly £90m a year we've got to play with. That equates, over 5 years, to a £450m outlay, which is the same as a £150m fee and £60m a year wages. And that £450m is very much the worst case scenario I'd say. £300m sounds more like it.
And in the current financial year we've sold Sane, Garcia will go to Barcelona and I suspect Zinchenko will be surplus to requirements. The latter two cost us nothing so that could see a £50m profit, plus the £35m+ from Sane.
Interesting financial calculations- the fear of having to sell someone to raise the funds is interesting as as of a couple of weeks ago, prior to the big messi story breaking there were a few words on having a number of players coming in, a potential outside big deal but that we might see someone leave that non of us would like to see going. Matches what you’re saying there so maybe there is merit in this unfortunately. Seriously hope not though.