Lionel Messi to Man City: Barcelona ace’s dad and Etihad chiefs plotting sensational move for next summer
Messi's father has been talking with City's ex-Barca chiefs with Argentine set to become a free agent in a year's time
LIONEL MESSI’S dad has spoken to Manchester City about his son making a sensational move to the Etihad.
Jorge Messi met City director of football Txiki Begiristain, who was at Barcelona until 2012, about Leo’s future.
Sources have told SunSport the duo spoke about the possibility of Messi, 30, joining City.
But any deal would be difficult and have to wait until at least next summer. Messi Jr is stalling on an extension, agreed in July, to stay at Barca until 2021.
His current deal expires at the end of this season, meaning someone could sign the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for NOTHING.
Barca remain confident Messi will sign when the club has brought in replacements — following Neymar’s £198million move to Paris Saint-Germain.
That would leave any potential suitor having to pay a buyout clause said to be worth £263m. But Messi is clearly considering his options.
City is a natural choice, given his relationship with Begiristain and City chief executive Ferran Soriano — another ex-Barca man. The Etihad club deny any offer but are hardly discouraging speculation.
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City, whose owners yesterday sealed their deal to buy Barca’s local La Liga rivals Girona, have spent £213m this summer.
But they would not want to more than double that by forking out for Messi, plus wages, in this window.
And given the outcry over Neymar’s sale, Barca chiefs would not consider selling Messi so soon.
But former Barcelona presidential candidate Agusti Benedito told Spanish radio: “He has still not signed, it’s worrisome.
“The case of Messi may be worse than with Neymar because right now, as of January 1, he’s free.”
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