Liverpool FC Forum

[crazyhorse]

So he's 33 and has just put in a transfer request. There is talk that he has a clause allowing him to terminate his contract and leave Barca on a free.

Would we want him?

Had to ask. I worry that if he goes, and he goes to one of our competitors they will tear it up. Imagine Messi playing with City.. or worse the Mancs.

[red till i die!!]

No way  .

Was at a match in the noucamp 4 years ago and he was lazy as fook. Wouldnt chase anything down and just strolled about the place like he was god. Noticed loads of stuff like that from him since. He is 33 now as well so not what we need.

He is still a good player but the pace and physicality of the prem will wipe him out quick enough.

[7_Kewell]

He's spent far too long calling the shots at Barca. He wouldn't fit with our team or wage structure. His work rate is also questionable.

We could do a lot better with £500k a week..

[Reg]

Messi will only shine if the rest of the team are slick and well oiled. Only City are in that position, it would be a tremendous waste of money for Utd to buy him. You see the idiots want to extend Pogba's contract? That's how silly they are...leave them be.

We don't need him and he's not good enough anyway...

[damjan193]

Haha well I wouldn't say he's not good enough but even if he goes on a free, his wages would be ridiculously high, probably more than Mane, Salah and Firmino combined! Not a lot of clubs can afford him really. In truth, if he really does leave Barcelona, the only possible clubs he could go to would be the cheating oil money clubs; PSG and, unfortunately the most realistic one, Manchester City.

[Cool Hand Luke]

IMO still the most influential player in the world and he's been carrying a creaking Barcelona team for a couple of years now. He's not totally reliant on his pace and passes the ball as well as De Bruyne so he's got a good few years in him. But you'd need to build your team around him and give him a crazy salary. If he really is going to leave Barcelona and doesn't fancy going back to Argentina quite yet, I can only really see him going to one of the state funded clubs (PSG or Man City) who will find a way to pay him plenty of money outside of his official salary which itself will probably be the highest in the world.

[devaney]

Wouldn’t fit with Klopp’s management style. Messi is basically only interested in himself. Not sure that he would enjoy the Premiership. Personally I wouldn’t go near him.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Apparently City have offered him a 5 year deal, 3 years at City and then 2 at their feeder club in New York.
I know he’s past his best and doesn’t contribute much defensively but he’d still do some damage in the Prem. Must admit it is pretty frustrating to see what Chelsea and City are doing whilst we are sitting on our hands doing nothing.

[redshade]

He will thrive with City, being surrounded by talent and having a team more or less made for him.
If he goes to City were in for a ride in the prem.

[kazza]

He is 33 and as good as he is will only decline from now. Better spend that kind of money on young talent. The weather will take its toll on his knees come winter and I would bet he will have a tough time adapting to life in Manchester after the warmth and cultural familiarity of Barcelona. France or Italy seems more likely.

[7_Kewell]

Have a feeling he'll end up at PSG or Inter...

[damjan193]

Apparently, City have offered B.Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Eric Garcia plus €100m for Messi. Not a bad deal for Barca in all honesty...

[kazza]

Doesn’t Messi have a revolving one year contract at Barca? I understood that is the case so he can hold his club to ransom whenever he was not happy with personnel, management or even the weather. He probably ends up staying with all new coaches, promises to buy the best players and more money.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Doesn’t Messi have a revolving one year contract at Barca? I understood that is the case so he can hold his club to ransom whenever he was not happy with personnel, management or even the weather. He probably ends up staying with all new coaches, promises to buy the best players and more money.

Barcelona may actually want him to leave, he’s been a very powerful figure at the club for a long time, far more powerful than any manager (5 years ago if Messi would have went to the board and said it’s either him or me there would have been only one winner) but now he’s 33 and his powers are on the wane they may feel the best thing would be to draw a line under the whole Messi era and completely start again.
Because of what he has done for that club in the past even if he was 38 and only a bit part player his opinion would still carry a hell of a lot of weight, he’d hang over managers like the proverbial sword of damocles, they’d be wary of upsetting him in case he went to the press or the board.
When you have someone of his profile at the club you either make them manager or move them out, he’s far too influential and powerful to have just floating around behind the scene’s.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Koeman wants him gone, of course if he was 23 instead of 33 he’d be on his hands and knees begging him to stay but he’s not. If Messi stays Koeman will pretty much find himself in a de-facto Houllier/Evans type situation.

[kazza]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11833/12059667/lionel-messi-can-only-leave-barcelona-if-8364700m-release-clause-is-paid-says-la-liga

No one will pay 700 million