FantasyIreland said:Ridiculous.......
538 games
412 goals
163 assists
27 hat-tricks
4 Balon d'Ors
23 trophies
Imagine what he'll be like when he is happy...?
Manchester_lalala said:FantasyIreland said:Ridiculous.......
538 games
412 goals
163 assists
27 hat-tricks
4 Balon d'Ors
23 trophies
Imagine what he'll be like when he is happy...?
He's shit.
The Premier League champions were on a charm offensive last week when the Barcelona star visited their facilities ahead of Argentina's friendly with Portugal at Old Trafford
MANCHESTER CITY ROLL OUT THE RE...BLUE CARPET FOR MESSI
In the week which saw Lionel Messi drop the biggest hint yet that his future may lie away from Barcelona, Manchester City took the opportunity to roll out the red carpet for the Argentina superstar.
Messi was in town for Argentina’s prestige friendly against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at Old Trafford in midweek which took place after he had sparked a media frenzy by declaring his relationship with Barcelona as “complicated” adding that “I always said that I'd like to stay there forever, but things don't always work out as you want them to”.
Goal understands City have been monitoring Messi’s increasingly fractious rapport with the Catalan giants’ board for the last 18 months with a view to pulling off the most spectacular transfer coup of all time by tempting Messi to the Etihad Stadium.
The Premier League champions took the opportunity to step up their PR charm offensive this week as Messi trained at the club’s Carrington training complex alongside City’s fellow Argentina internationals Sergio Aguero, Martin Demichelis and Pablo Zabaleta.
Messi also visited the soon-to-be-opened Etihad Campus, the £200 million facility complete with 16 pitches and a 7,000 capacity reserve stadium, and was understood to be suitably impressed.
Pointedly, City used footage of Messi embracing Txiki Begiristain, the former Barcelona director of football now employed in the same role at Manchester City, on his arrival as part of an opening montage on the Inside City feature on the club’s online TV channel.
City were fined £50 million by Uefa earlier this year for failing to meet the criteria of Financial Fair play but the club’s money men are confident they still possess the resources required to fund any potential deal.
City believe Messi could be worth as much as £400m in commercial revenue to any club - meaning Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules could easily be met.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side are already looking at ways of reducing their current wage bill in order to accommodate Messi’s world record £300,000-a-week salary and would be prepared to let their current top earner Yaya Toure leave in the summer should Messi decide this season will be his last in Barcelona colours.
Toure, who currently earns £230,000-a-week, has been linked with a move away from the club since the summer and earlier this week refused to close the door on a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Clubs around Europe pricked up their ears when Messi gave his revealing interview to Ole this week, and City look set to be at the front of the queue should the bidding process for one of football's biggest icons ever open.
- By Paul Clennam
The Insider: Manchester City roll out red carpet for Messi
The Premier League champions were on a charm offensive last week when the Barcelona star visited their facilities ahead of Argentina's friendly with Portugal at Old Trafford
MANCHESTER CITY ROLL OUT THE RE...BLUE CARPET FOR MESSI
In the week which saw Lionel Messi drop the biggest hint yet that his future may lie away from Barcelona, Manchester City took the opportunity to roll out the red carpet for the Argentina superstar.
Messi was in town for Argentina’s prestige friendly against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at Old Trafford in midweek which took place after he had sparked a media frenzy by declaring his relationship with Barcelona as “complicated” adding that “I always said that I'd like to stay there forever, but things don't always work out as you want them to”.
Goal understands City have been monitoring Messi’s increasingly fractious rapport with the Catalan giants’ board for the last 18 months with a view to pulling off the most spectacular transfer coup of all time by tempting Messi to the Etihad Stadium.
The Premier League champions took the opportunity to step up their PR charm offensive this week as Messi trained at the club’s Carrington training complex alongside City’s fellow Argentina internationals Sergio Aguero, Martin Demichelis and Pablo Zabaleta.
Messi also visited the soon-to-be-opened Etihad Campus, the £200 million facility complete with 16 pitches and a 7,000 capacity reserve stadium, and was understood to be suitably impressed.
Pointedly, City used footage of Messi embracing Txiki Begiristain, the former Barcelona director of football now employed in the same role at Manchester City, on his arrival as part of an opening montage on the Inside City feature on the club’s online TV channel.
City were fined £50 million by Uefa earlier this year for failing to meet the criteria of Financial Fair play but the club’s money men are confident they still possess the resources required to fund any potential deal.
City believe Messi could be worth as much as £400m in commercial revenue to any club - meaning Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules could easily be met.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side are already looking at ways of reducing their current wage bill in order to accommodate Messi’s world record £300,000-a-week salary and would be prepared to let their current top earner Yaya Toure leave in the summer should Messi decide this season will be his last in Barcelona colours.
Toure, who currently earns £230,000-a-week, has been linked with a move away from the club since the summer and earlier this week refused to close the door on a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Clubs around Europe pricked up their ears when Messi gave his revealing interview to Ole this week, and City look set to be at the front of the queue should the bidding process for one of football's biggest icons ever open.
- By Paul Clennam