Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

[purplenose]

Except that Haaland doesn't want to come to us (if you believe what you read) and would himself want huge wages and would cost us £100m+
Messi on a free (or virtually free) would raise the commercial revenue of the club - I would imagine we could easily raise £50m per year to cover his wages from existing and new sponsors... I am sure the commercial dept of the CFG would be very giddy at the prospect of Messi in a City shirt...

I get what you are saying about building for the future - but I would argue that having Messi in the squad will do more for us down the line in terms of revenue and the ability to spend plus the attraction of Messi to younger players?

The whole tiresome Messi to City saga is getting annoying now.

Now past the point where I think any transfer fee would make it time to move on from this. A move for free in either January or end of the season would however be an absolute no brainer. As you say its not all about what he would contribute on the pitch though that alone would likely be a considerable influence in some big matches.

If he is stinking the dressing room out as well he might simply by not having his usual enthusiasm for the cause then Koeman may want him gone asap. If it is clear that he is not putting his all into the matches then there surely is no point in picking him?

 

[Dobsy]

I'm getting a bit exasperated to constantly read people saying "don't sign Messi; get Haaland or Mbappe instead."

Here's why

1/ if we sign Messi for free we will net profit on that, no question. The club revenue will rocket through sponsorship and sales. The financial situation therefore remains the same for us to go out and sign other players. It is not Messi OR 'X player', we can have both.

2/ as has been constantly explained by multiple posters, we will not deal with Raiola, who reps Haaland, while Pep is here. He has called Pep a coward and a dog in public.

Mbappe is on record as saying he doesn't want to move to Manchester City.

With the greatest respect, it's not an original thing to say, it just makes you look stupid. Please stop.

 

[hihosilva]

I'm getting a bit exasperated to constantly read people saying "don't sign Messi; get Haaland or Mbappe instead."

Here's why

1/ if we sign Messi for free we will net profit on that, no question. The club revenue will rocket through sponsorship and sales. The financial situation therefore remains the same for us to go out and sign other players. It is not Messi OR 'X player', we can have both.

2/ as has been constantly explained by multiple posters, we will not deal with Raiola, who reps Haaland, while Pep is here. He has called Pep a coward and a dog in public.

Mbappe is on record as saying he doesn't want to move to Manchester City.

With the greatest respect, it's not an original thing to say, it just makes you look stupid. Please stop.

Here's a solution. Sign them both

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Here's a solution. Sign them both

Could sign all 3
The only problem with that idea is that we'd have to get rid of 3 of either Zin, Mendy, Stones or Gundogan to free up space.
Couldn't see the fans accepting that

 

[Paul1970]

I'm getting a bit exasperated to constantly read people saying "don't sign Messi; get Haaland or Mbappe instead."

Here's why

1/ if we sign Messi for free we will net profit on that, no question. The club revenue will rocket through sponsorship and sales. The financial situation therefore remains the same for us to go out and sign other players. It is not Messi OR 'X player', we can have both.

2/ as has been constantly explained by multiple posters, we will not deal with Raiola, who reps Haaland, while Pep is here. He has called Pep a coward and a dog in public.

Mbappe is on record as saying he doesn't want to move to Manchester City.

With the greatest respect, it's not an original thing to say, it just makes you look stupid. Please stop.

If it means talking to the agent to get this guy then so be it as we need to be in for haaland next summer . The agent is an arse but haaland id a very special player and they don’t come along often . Replacing kun is gonna be the most important signing we have made in the last 10 years . We cannot get this wrong .

 

[Dobsy]

If it means talking to the agent to get this guy then so be it as we need to be in for haaland next summer . The agent is an arse but haaland id a very special player and they don’t come along often . Replacing kun is gonna be the most important signing we have made in the last 10 years . We cannot get this wrong .

Respectfully I disagree, although of course you're right that he's an incredible player.

My point is that signing Haaland IS getting it wrong because of the Raiola link, so I don't expect to see us do it. If you think in terms of single players (shiny new toy syndrome) then sure, we need to be in for this one. Look where that's got Ed Woodward. No single footballer is THAT good: Messi hasn't won a European Cup since 2015, during his supposedly peak years.

City's current group have shown they think more long term and strategically, prioritising the business culture of the club. Pep is our guy. You do not deal with people who treat your people like shit, no matter what. At a basic level, it's a betrayal. It's bad strategy and undermines you long term because your people don't feel cared about. In this case Pep but also those close to him. No one footballer is good enough to justify dealing with Raiolo and allowing him a foothold at your club. This is a man who has shown he's willing to call our manager "a dog and a coward" to the press, a man who Pep refuses to meet because of his history of trouble causing and improper behaviour, a man with a reputation for prioritising his business interests over keeping players settled.

Because of something nowhere near as bad, this summer City refused to speak to ADL directly and instead negotiated through his agent. The idea that they will deal with Raiola makes no sense (and also that Raiola will deal with them).

 

[r.soleofsalford]

Could sign all 3
The only problem with that idea is that we'd have to get rid of 3 of either Zin, Mendy, Stones or Gundogan to free up space.
Couldn't see the fans accepting that

Yes where do we sign.

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Respectfully I disagree, although of course you're right that he's an incredible player.

My point is that signing Haaland IS getting it wrong because of the Raiola link, so I don't expect to see us do it. If you think in terms of single players (shiny new toy syndrome) then sure, we need to be in for this one. Look where that's got Ed Woodward. No single footballer is THAT good: Messi hasn't won a European Cup since 2015, during his supposedly peak years.

City's current group have shown they think more long term and strategically, prioritising the business culture of the club. Pep is our guy. You do not deal with people who treat your people like shit, no matter what. At a basic level, it's a betrayal. It's bad strategy and undermines you long term because your people don't feel cared about. In this case Pep but also those close to him. No one footballer is good enough to justify dealing with Raiolo and allowing him a foothold at your club. This is a man who has shown he's willing to call our manager "a dog and a coward" to the press, a man who Pep refuses to meet because of his history of trouble causing and improper behaviour, a man with a reputation for prioritising his business interests over keeping players settled.

Because of something nowhere near as bad, this summer City refused to speak to ADL directly and instead negotiated through his agent. The idea that they will deal with Raiola makes no sense (and also that Raiola will deal with them).

Perfectly said. City won't be anywhere near Haaland deal, but there will be another shiny toy some can obsess over later.

 

[sandman1]

Not seen this mentioned, tying down big names but not Messi...

 

[Coatigan]

They are reportedly the only ones that have agreed a pay cut. Which they'd get back over the length of their new contract.

Your point stabds though, no messi in there with an extensionto his last year. Yet.