Or Tebas? He's a Madrid fan for starters and unless it's all smoke and mirrors on Barcas part re. suing the (Madrid based) paper, then perhaps they're doing it to try force where the leak came from.So only Messi, his law firm, Barcand La Liga had a copy of his contract.
We can rule out Messi and his law firm leaking it.
I’d wager it’s Barca that have leaked it, this club has let it’s veil well and truly slip and its revealed a club much more hideous than Real Madrid.
If they have, surely it’s now impossible for him to stay.
Exactly. Stadiums are empty and we have no idea when they'll fill. We haven't won the Champions League and he may only be at City for 1 year before going to NYCFC. We might get more people watching our games, but is the prospect of 1 year of a declining Messi going to create LIFELONG City fans? Or sponsorships for 1 year of him playing. It'll be marginal and completely offset by the 500k+ wages & sign-on fee.There was a bit of artistic licence in the first part of my comment :)
Although not finished, he clearly is way past his peak and he would be 34 if he joins us in the summer. It all seems a bit desperate on our part as what age would he have to be before we decided it wouldn't be worth signing him?
As for the second part, I absolutely stand by that. If we paid him anything like the unbelievable amount of money Barca do then he won't 'pay for himself'. He has been at Barca since the age of thirteen so they never paid a fee for him (or it was nominal) & they have had his entire career up until he is almost at the point of retirement. On the back of that they have won numerous trophies and established themselves as one of the very best clubs in the world over a very long period. On the back of that Barca have been able to increase their commercial income but clearly a large part of it has been going to fund his huge contract. Would a 34 year old Messi have that transformational effect of us? I highly doubt it.
I know we’ve made some dud signings over the years but our board are more intelligent than you seem to give them credit for. They will clearly look and the numbers and make sire that financially it makes sense and they wouldn't sign him unless they knew there was s role for him to play.Exactly. Stadiums are empty and we have no idea when they'll fill. We haven't won the Champions League and he may only be at City for 1 year before going to NYCFC. We might get more people watching our games, but is the prospect of 1 year of a declining Messi going to create LIFELONG City fans? Or sponsorships for 1 year of him playing. It'll be marginal and completely offset by the 500k+ wages & sign-on fee.
We've got the best board in the world, but he's a once in a lifetime player who could be reunited with the best coach ever and get his 5th (and our 1st) Champions League. That'd tempt anyone, regardless of the financials. If we sign him, it's for sporting reasons only. His wages would offset any gains in revenue/I know we’ve made some dud signings over the years but our board are more intelligent than you seem to give them credit for. They will clearly look and the numbers and make sire that financially it makes sense and they wouldn't sign him unless they knew there was s role for him to play.
There was a bit of artistic licence in the first part of my comment :)
Although not finished, he clearly is way past his peak and he would be 34 if he joins us in the summer. It all seems a bit desperate on our part as what age would he have to be before we decided it wouldn't be worth signing him?
As for the second part, I absolutely stand by that. If we paid him anything like the unbelievable amount of money Barca do then he won't 'pay for himself'. He has been at Barca since the age of thirteen so they never paid a fee for him (or it was nominal) & they have had his entire career up until he is almost at the point of retirement. On the back of that they have won numerous trophies and established themselves as one of the very best clubs in the world over a very long period. On the back of that Barca have been able to increase their commercial income but clearly a large part of it has been going to fund his huge contract. Would a 34 year old Messi have that transformational effect of us? I highly doubt it.
If what he got paid at Barcelona is true then he’s probably more than set for life right. Reckon we would be able to pay him less if we offer a good chance at winning trophies and playing with PepWe've got the best board in the world, but he's a once in a lifetime player who could be reunited with the best coach ever and get his 5th (and our 1st) Champions League. That'd tempt anyone, regardless of the financials. If we sign him, it's for sporting reasons only. His wages would offset any gains in revenue/
Would he do it on principle though? For a top top athlete, isn't it like admitting you're not as valuable as you once were and therefore declining? Might be reading too much into it.If what he got paid at Barcelona is true then he’s probably more than set for life right. Reckon we would be able to pay him less if we offer a good chance at winning trophies and playing with Pep
Do you think city would buy or give a contract to a player they couldn’t afford?
Messi for 1 year in Manchester City? That would be a disaster...Exactly. Stadiums are empty and we have no idea when they'll fill. We haven't won the Champions League and he may only be at City for 1 year before going to NYCFC. We might get more people watching our games, but is the prospect of 1 year of a declining Messi going to create LIFELONG City fans? Or sponsorships for 1 year of him playing. It'll be marginal and completely offset by the 500k+ wages & sign-on fee.
This isn't a bunch of tourists going the Nou Camp, getting a Messi shirt and sitting in a 90,000 seater stadium. This is air travel kept to a minimum, a mostly-full 54,000 seater stadium and mainly local fans. If we want to do this, it HAS to be for sporting reasons, and I think Haaland & others is a better bet.