Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

[sir baconface]

Mate sorry but if you think he planned all that to go the way it did you're in tinfoil hat territory. He activated his release clause = he absolutely wanted to come.

Right now I don't think he'll ever leave there because the board will change and City look set for another absolute shambles of a season.

I doubt he planned it quite to that extent. Let’s say though that he “kept all options open” Also that he was either negligent or playing fast and lose with the 700m release clause.

Bottom line is he’s riding two horses with one backside. Even if he declares for City in January - which is doubtful - I’d rather him stay at his beloved Barça than have us create a circus around a pampered 34-year old who’ll soon be in rapid decline.

 

[Keeper!]

@Dobsy

Maybe he will stay but I think it's very dependent on what happens with the vote and if Barto indeed is forced out by end of month. Even then, they'd have to ensure a continuity candidate does not simply resume the proxy work of Rosell/Bartomeu. Of course, I was skeptical we'd even get here 2 months ago

As for City, I do not agree a shambolic season is ahead but injuries are difficult to predict for any club. Way too early, Leicester was just a confluence of many factors that resulted in a lopsided loss. The FB situation though, I see it as worrying

99% certain he will stay and see out his playing days there, he has left it far too late in his career to move now.

Stay and continue to teach and mentor Fati, that is one hell of a talent they have there.

 

[Chippy_boy]

What’s your best guess re Messi and City going forward?

Not getting into the “Messi used us” nonsense..if people want to believe that then nothing will alter the notion.

I tend to believe Tolmie when he says Messi has given his word to City that if we still want him he will come. Signing in January for cash or Pre Contract in January and free in July or just free in July? Or do you think the boat has sailed and he stays at Barca?

I may be way off the mark having not been following this, but FWIW here's my take on it.

Seems to me that Pep's lack of comments about this are significant. Yes of course it's not cool to be tapping up other players in the media nor spouting off about how great player X is and what a fantastic addition they would be. (The way Bayern behaved over Sane was a fucking disgrace, but that's another story.)

But this is Messi we are talking about and yet Pep has barely said a word about it, and when he has spoken previously he's always said he expects Messi to finish his career at Barca. Heck, he's even said he thinks Messi *should* see out his career at Barca.

So why would he be so quiet, so seemingly unenthusiastic? Of course it's possible it's because he loves Barca (which of course is true) and he does not want to be the villain who takes their hero off them. That is probably something to do with it, but I think it's more than that.

I think Pep is off at the end of the season, and he's essentially said to Messi don't come here if you're planning on working with me, because I won't be here for long. And that's why this transfer is never going to happen. The two men have a special relationship and Messi would not be joining City, or Ferran or Txiki, he'd be joining Pep. And he cannot do that if Pep is not going to be here.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[FCBarca]

Pep rarely talks about transfer targets publicly nevermind Barca ones until done & dusted

 

[nmc]

Still think we could really blow this transfer window of of the water and sign a striker, a long term Kun successor.

If we have any sort of funds in reserve for special players now is the perfect time to go and get that striker.

You could equally argue that next summer might be even better - a few players looking to move next summer Mbappe, Haarland etc... We are conditioned to thinking that a small elite group of 'elite' clubs will hoover them up - but will they - its conceivable that there will be no return of fans this season and the likes of Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona - as much as they want to just cant stump us the cash next summer (its not just their own accounts but some of the other sources of revenue - loans / local government subsidies etc might have dried up)- maybe another club still sat on an injection of cash from Silverlake can take its pick... who knows...

 

[Scott mcfc]

Still think we could really blow this transfer window of of the water and sign a striker, a long term Kun successor.

If we have any sort of funds in reserve for special players now is the perfect time to go and get that striker.

I can actually see this happenin,cut price these times,and could shave 40 mill off a target for next summer,especially if the target has a good euros to bump it up

 

[Cityzen_89]

He didn't look too miserable against RC Celta yesterday. He isn't going anywhere imo and I think we were used. By used I mean to get rid of Bartomeu.

 

[Phil1]

He didn't look too miserable against RC Celta yesterday. He isn't going anywhere imo and I think we were used.

Well he’s not going anywhere this window so why would he not put his best face on whilst he’s still there?
This idea that he used us has no basis in truth whatsoever- in fact there’s far more evidence out there to suggest this deal was very much on and its one he would have made if Barcelona hadn’t stood so firm.

 

[Cityzen_89]

Well he’s not going anywhere this window so why would he not put his best face on whilst he’s still there?
This idea that he used us has no basis in truth whatsoever- in fact there’s far more evidence out there to suggest this deal was very much on and its one he would have made if Barcelona hadn’t stood so firm.

There is putting his best face on and then there is looking like a weight has been lifted. He looks settled again. If you think it has no basis for truth then that is your opinion, I could say the same about his true intentions of coming to us. The one thing we have in common is we know very little about what his intentions truely were.

 

[Stoned Rose]

There is putting his best face on and then there is looking like a weight has been lifted. He looks settled again. If you think it has no basis for truth then that is your opinion, I could say the same about his true intentions of coming to us. The one thing we have in common is we know very little about what his intentions truely were.

I always enjoy two people discussing something they have absolutely no idea about.