Man City ‘crunch numbers’ for Lionel Messi deal - but do they need him?

Description Premier League club are reportedly exploring a potential bid for the Barcelona superstar Credits Manu Fernandez/Pool via Getty Images Alt Text Lionel Messi looks dejected after Barcelona’s 8-2 hammering by Bayern Munich in the Champions League Premier League club are reportedly exploring a potential bid for the Barcelona superstar In Depth Mike Starling Tuesday, August 25, 2020 - 12:01pm Could Lionel Messi actually be on the verge of leaving FC Barcelona? According to ESPN, sources have revealed that Manchester City are “crunching the numbers” to see if they can afford the Argentine superstar without breaching Financial Fair Play rules. Messi’s future is up in the air following a torrid season for the Catalonian club. Since the turn of the year Barcelona have sacked two head coaches, saw rivals Real Madrid win the La Liga title and also suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final.  In February Messi was also involved in a “row” with sporting director Eric Abidal following the sacking of Ernesto Valverde and this had already put City on “red alert”.  After Quique Setién’s firing last week, Ronald Koeman was appointed as the new head coach at Barca and Messi is regarded as a key “pillar” in the rebuild of the Camp Nou squad.  Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu says Messi “wants to end his career at Barca”, but The Sun says City are willing to pay “whatever it takes” to clinch a deal for the world’s best footballer. How much would Messi cost?   City know that a potential deal for Messi would be “complicated”, ESPN says, but they are keen to be prepared should he become available.  See related Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: all-time goals, head-to-head records, trophies and awards Ronald Koeman’s big Barcelona project: rebuild a squad around ‘pillar’ Lionel Messi Messi has a contract at the Camp Nou until 2021 but the release clause is set at a whopping €700m (£631.7m). Even with Abu Dhabi’s finances behind them that would be a massive sum for City.   Barcelona’s president Bartomeu stated last week that their captain is not for sale. However, ESPN revealed that some board members could be open to cashing in on the 33-year-old if he continues to push for an exit and the money is reinvested into the rebuild of the squad.   If the unthinkable happens - Messi becomes available and Barca are willing to negotiate a fee lower than the release clause - then football’s world transfer record of €222m (£198m) for Neymar in 2017 could be broken. Do City really need Messi?  Man City head coach Pep Guardiola would surely welcome Messi to the Etihad Stadium having previously managed the forward when he was Barcelona boss.  The pair won the Champions League together with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, but Guardiola and City are still to add Europe’s top club trophy to their cabinet.  The potential arrival of Messi would signal City’s intention to win back the Premier League title from Liverpool and try again to become champions of Europe.  However, is it in attack where City really need reinforcements? Argentinian 32-year-old striker Sergio Aguero, City’s all-time record goalscorer, will need replacing in the next season or two, but is a 33-year-old Argentine (Messi) the right player to come in? During Guardiola’s time at the Etihad City have not exactly lacked goals. In the 2018-19 domestic treble-winning season City scored 169 goals as they lifted the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. And in 2019-20 they scored 149 goals with five players - Raheem Sterling (31), Gabriel Jesus (23), Agüero (17), Kevin De Bruyne (16) and Riyad Mahrez (13) - all reaching double figures.  But after finishing second in the Premier League, 18 points behind Liverpool, and also getting knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Lyon, Guardiola will be looking to improve his squad yet again. Defence is key If Guardiola is to win the Champions League for the first time with City it will take a number of big signings to bring the famous silver trophy to the blue side of Manchester. Securing Messi would no doubt bring more goals to his attacking line-up but defensively reinforcements will also need to be made.  The Sky Blues have already announced the £41m signing of Dutchman Nathan Ake from Bournemouth and according to reports one of Europe’s most in-demand defenders could also be heading to the Etihad.  The Manchester Evening News says Napoli and Senegal centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly is City’s “top transfer target” this summer and a deal is reportedly close to completion. With Ake already in and a deal for Koulibaly looking near, the new-look defence could make the vital difference for City’s ambitions of winning back the Premier League title.  Bringing in a superstar like Messi may just help City secure the Holy Grail, the Champions League. The finance department at the Etihad will no doubt be busy crunching those numbers.   Sport Lionel Messi Manchester City Man City Barcelona Premier League https://www.theweek.co.uk/football/107900/man-city-crunch-numbers-lionel-messi-deal-do-they-need-him #football