Manchester City are hunting every possibility to bring Lionel Messi to the Etihad Stadium. The Argentine superstar’s contract runs down at the end of this season and the club hierarchy has remained in the touch with his entourage for a brand new deal for the player.
The Sky Blues are monitoring the situation very closely and are reportedly prepared to break all the previous records for the player. City are ready to splash a staggering £358m for the 30-year-old. If this move really happens, it would surpass the sum Paris Saint Germain paid for the services of Neymar this summer.
In the last couple of seasons, speculations oo Messi’s future have only intensified and at this moment, anything can happen. There are a number of things that can go against Barcelona and City could be hugely benefitted by this.
There have been rigorous movements and rallies in Catalonia as the people there have been demanding a separate region. This struggle for their independence has turned worse in the last few days and Barcelona’s future is in danger.
Should they succeed in getting freedom, Barcelona would have to take an exit from the existing La Liga as norms and rules won’t allow them to feature in the Spanish top tier.
Pep Guardiola is an avid admirer of Messi and the Argentine forward rose to his peak under the guidance of the gaffer. Guardiola already has a host of attacking players at the Etihad and Messi’s arrival would certainly give them an edge over their rivals.
Uncertainty is also hovering over Argentina’s future. The Latin American nation’s participation in the World Cup is hanging by a thread and they have to win their last qualifier against Ecuador at any cost to keep their qualifying hopes alive.
Following the departure of Neymar, it would be devastating for the club if Messi decides to leave as well. Barcelona have given him the recognition and he has reestablished the Catalans as one of the best at the moment. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently made a statement which meant the player already signed a new deal. “Everything is signed. There is no need to worry,” he said in a recent interview.
But things are not that easy. Messi is currently happy with the things going at the club but the player’s future is a concern for the club authorities. City are currently hot on the heels of the player and are ready to go all in for Messi. But can they land him?
