It’s fair to say the Lionel Messi saga at Barcelona has set the transfer window on fire, with every man and his dog looking for the latest scoop on the situation.
Should the Argentine leave the Nou Camp, which is seemingly as close to happening as it has ever been, Manchester City looks like his most plausible destination.
That’s due to several reasons, Pep Guardiola being a major one, but largely because they’re one of only a handful of clubs who could actually afford a transfer fee and the huge wages Messi demands.
His wage packet is monumental, to say the least, but according to TuttoMercatoWeb, Manchester City are willing to give him more to move to the Etihad.
The website reports that City already have ‘the offer ready’ to ‘convince’ Messi to move to Manchester this summer.
They say that Guardiola and co. are willing to offer him a four-year deal worth €100m, €60m net after taxes.
That would represent a substantial increase on what he earns at Barcelona, which €86m gross, but also includes ‘clauses and percentages of sponsors and turnover’.
TMW say it’s a figure ‘absolutely out of budget’ for other clubs, with the likes of Inter Milan, who have also been linked, denying the possibility of him moving there.
Indeed, such figures leave Manchester City with a clear run unless the likes of Paris Saint Germain decide to enter the bidding.
However, they should be taken with a huge pinch of salt at this stage as it’s unlikely TMW would have this information ahead of the plethora of other journalists and insiders covering the situation.
As of yet none of those, including the ones who enjoy a close relationship with Messi and his entourage, have even mentioned figures at this stage, never mind ones as large and eye-watering as these.
This is most likely a guess on TMW’s part, although the reality is it would not be surprising to see Manchester City throw this kind of money around if they believe they can get away with it and it’ll help them get the Argentine superstar.
