Manchester City: Update on Lionel Messi transfer rumors
Due to the friendly ties between Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi, Manchester City apparently feels confident about landing the megastar next summer.
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Lately, it’s the rumor that won’t die: Lionel Messi to Manchester City.
The Mirror is certainly adding fuel to the fire. According to it, City is readying itself to move heaven and earth to put the Argentine sensation in a powder blue kit and make its rivals tremble.
Apparently, the club is preparing a massive transfer bid of around £200 million to reunite boss Pep Guardiola with his superlative protege. It estimates the proposed wages would be somewhere near £500,000 per week to entice Messi.
City is encouraged about courting the 29-year-old because he reportedly has not signed a new deal with Barcelona, the club he’s been at since age 13. If true, this forces Barca’s hand to look into selling Messi because his current contract expires in 2018, and the La Liga giants won’t want their ace to leave for free.
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Moreover, the background familiarity is there. Since his departure from Barca, Guardiola remains close with Messi. City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain and CEO Ferran Soriano are also on receptive terms with him. As for camaraderie with the players, Sergio Aguero and Messi are good friends. Fellow Argentine internationals Willy Caballero and Nicolas Otamendi are also the squad.
It’s these connections that make City seem like the front-runner for Messi over Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United and Chinese Super League clubs.
Earlier in the season, Guardiola said City must get better to reach the top of European football. Nabbing Messi would be a shortcut to the summit.