Transfer News: Manchester City’s Messi move could still be on
Rumour has it, Messi’s move from the Camp Nou to the Etihad in a bid to join Manchester City is far from dead.
Manchester City preps for a Champions League clash at home against Greek outfit, Olympiacos. However, it is far from the news that has City trending. The story that has people interested now, which died out before the summer window closed, Lionel Messi‘s sensational switch to the English Premier League
The turmoil over at the Camp Nou became too unbearable for the club’s best-ever player in their history to endure any longer. This prompted one of the biggest summer sagas that eventually ended like any other Messi-rumoured exit, with him not leaving the club at all.
The Argentine was adamant to part ways with the club he spent all of his footballing life at. This is where all the deep-pocketed clubs, despite all clubs’ financial circumstances being in total disarray, came knocking and enquired about the services of the world’s best player.
PSG and Man City were the teams leading the chase but it was the Cityzen’s who had the upper hand, holding a card dear to Messi’s heart, him wanting to play under the great Pep Guardiola. Unfortunately for Premier League fans, the move never materialised with him opting to stay at the Camp Nou for one more season.
Move on a couple of months from the summer transfer window, and we could see Lionel and City solidify a deal way ahead of the next summer window.
A pre-agreement is in the works
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The Telegraph states Man City wants to make sure they are not dealt the same blow when they go in for the forward next summer. The club is said to be working on a pre-contract that could be signed as early as January.
The player will be allowed to talk to potential suitors during winter if he has still not agreed on an extension beyond the season-ending with Barca. This gives the Blues of Manchester one more shot, one more opportunity, to finally reel in a player they’ve wanted for many moons.
"Manchester City will have the chance to offer Lionel Messi a pre-contract as talks over staying at Barcelona are set for later in the season. (Via: telegraph.co.uk)"
Things standing in the way of this happening
The 1st speed bump
Don’t get your hopes up just yet! We are a long way from having Lionel Messi join the best football league in the world. There are two main factors that could interrupt this transfer/pre-agreement from transpiring.
The initial reason the prolific goalscorer wanted to leave has already resigned from the club. Josep Maria Bartomeu, the main cause of Barcelona’s decline parted ways with the La Liga outfit a week ago. He has invested his future into the new plan of a European Super League that has the blood boiling of many legends and employees of the game.
With him gone, the Argentine could be persuaded to stay at the Camp Nou for the foreseeable future, inevitably ending his illustrious career in Spain.
Man City are no closer to a new Pep deal
The ex-Premier League champions are far from tying Pep Guardiola down to a new deal at the Etihad, although, he has stated many of times before he is happy to extend his stay at the club, something he has never done following his four-season plan.
With the former already in motion and the latter patiently waiting to take off, we could see one of Barcelona’s new presidential candidates (whoever wins the election) swoop in for Pep and ensure a Guardiola-Messi reunion at the place they fell in love with one another.
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For all we know, the hesitation in signing an improved Manchester deal could be down to Barcelona wanting him back sooner rather than later.