Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

[Lancet Fluke]

Not doubting anyone's knowledge, but I'll believe it when I see it.

+1

 

[allan harper]

He's 'only' actually on £250k a week wages, the rest is image rights and commercial sponsorships which come with him. However it's still a lot of money and while it's not conclusive proof, this possibly explains why we're pruning our wage bill dramatically.

I dropped some hints the other day but here's the story as I understand it. The Messi camp weren't happy about Barca's proposed acquisition of Neymar, which was planned for next summer after the World Cup, and put out feelers. It was discussed with the owners and our major commercial partners and a deal was sanctioned. In addition, we stuck our oar in the Neymar deal, putting the word out that we were seriously interested. We weren't but it helped panic Barca and they had to do the deal a year early and for more than was planned.

They're also obviously aware of what's going on with Messi and they're not happy with us, to put it mildly. If you look back in January, Rosell was sounding off about us "poaching staff and players at all levels of the club". They were also accusing Soriano of monitoring staff emails (which he's perfectly entitled to do). They were even more pissed off when we approached Pellegrini as they were also considering him. That's how they knew we'd met him, not because the meeting was in public, as people on here were blaming the Dos Amigos for. To get revenge, they waited until the eve of the Cup Final to release the stories, in order to cause us maximum problems, which it did. So, again, accusing the City hierarchy of mismanaging the situation was wide of the mark. We knew Mancini was going and Mancini knew he was going; it just all happened a few days earlier than planned because of the leak from Spain.

The plan (from our side) was to try to do the deal this summer, having effectively engineered the Neymar move a year early but then the tax case hit and put the mockers on that. I've no proof but I'd bet a pound to a penny it was Barca who were responsible for that. If so, it would certainly indicate they were worried about losing him but having done that, it was effectively the severing of their relationship and, as people have said, he just hasn't seemed like the same player this season.

I also found it a little odd that having trailed a £20m a year deal with Nike, it was announced recently as only £12m. I did wonder on here if some of that was being withheld pending something else triggering the rest.

The only thing is, with any transfer, it's not done until the ink is dry on the contract but I'm convinced that there's enough in place for it to happen. Next summer, we'll probably clear Milner, Lescott & Barry off the wage bill, plus a couple of others and that's easily enough to pay Messi, plus Tom Glick's hand will get sore from signing commercial deals.

Or it's a leak by City to get more people to sign up to the waiting list, proper fucking marketing skills!

No this rumour has been doing the rounds since May at least

I wasn't being serous mate.

 

[deano ou812]

Anything is possible,but for me the urge to play under moyes will be to great so he will end up at the swamp if he does leave barca....;-)

 

[Rammy Blue]

Wow.

You've read the posts from Billy, GDM and Prestwich; the others sat around the table on a warm night in Summer in the Northern Quarter were myself and Rammy. I expect Rammy along any minute with his expert and astute analysis.

When Billy dropped this bombshell I stopped staring at the Girls walking by all Saturday night smart and listened intently, he was just so certain. None of us have any reason to doubt the validity and sincerity and indeed the logic of his post.

He has gone as far as he can with Barca, he needs a new challenge, Barca have done the dirty on him, the whispers are starting in the media, his friends are already here and its financially viable.

Every City fan this morning should be walking around with a huge grin on his face.

I don't want Messi, and Billy is full of shit - that's my expert analysis for you.

p.s. you didn't stop looking at the girls....

 

[GXCity]

But it'll mean a small season card rise.

They can double mine if he comes

 

[Anonymous]

Wow.

You've read the posts from Billy, GDM and Prestwich; the others sat around the table on a warm night in Summer in the Northern Quarter were myself and Rammy. I expect Rammy along any minute with his expert and astute analysis.

When Billy dropped this bombshell I stopped staring at the Girls walking by all Saturday night smart and listened intently, he was just so certain. None of us have any reason to doubt the validity and sincerity and indeed the logic of his post.

He has gone as far as he can with Barca, he needs a new challenge, Barca have done the dirty on him, the whispers are starting in the media, his friends are already here and its financially viable.

Every City fan this morning should be walking around with a huge grin on his face.

I don't want Messi, and Billy is full of shit - that's my expert analysis for you.

p.s. you didn't stop looking at the girls....

Probably wise. My crack problem is loosening my grip on reality!

 

[CitizenTID]

I love how no mod has moved this to the transfer forum as if we're all happy to already consider him a city player.

 

[Ducado]

I love how no mod has moved this to the transfer forum as if we're all happy to already consider him a city player.

To be fair it's a bit of a diversion from all the doom laden stuff that has been posted of late

 

[Rammy Blue]

Wow.

You've read the posts from Billy, GDM and Prestwich; the others sat around the table on a warm night in Summer in the Northern Quarter were myself and Rammy. I expect Rammy along any minute with his expert and astute analysis.

When Billy dropped this bombshell I stopped staring at the Girls walking by all Saturday night smart and listened intently, he was just so certain. None of us have any reason to doubt the validity and sincerity and indeed the logic of his post.

He has gone as far as he can with Barca, he needs a new challenge, Barca have done the dirty on him, the whispers are starting in the media, his friends are already here and its financially viable.

Every City fan this morning should be walking around with a huge grin on his face.

I don't want Messi, and Billy is full of shit - that's my expert analysis for you.

p.s. you didn't stop looking at the girls....

Probably wise. My crack problem is loosening my grip on reality!

Won't need any class A's for getting high if we sign the little fella.

 

[CitizenTID]

Would we rather win the league this year, or sign Messi next summer?

Hmm.... Of course whoever would win the league would be a factor to consider...

Do you think Rosell would consider a straight swap for Dzeko?