Manchester City are in pole position to sign Lionel Messi as the Barcelona icon has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Premier League outfit.
According to journalist, Veronica Brunati, as relayed by Express, Lionel Messi’s dream of reuniting with Pep Guardiola could soon become a reality as the player has apparently personal terms with Manchester City.
Widely expected to leave FC Barcelona this summer, following the club’s 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich, Messi has instantly become the hottest prospect in the transfer window, with various clubs being linked with a move for the Argentine superstar.
Manchester City have been tipped as the likeliest destination in recent days and it appears the speculations may hold some weight as the Premier League giants do have the financial capability of pulling off the deal.
That has been confirmed by Brunati, who was one of the first to suggest that Messi is going to leave Barcelona this summer. In a tweet, the journalist wrote, “#City and #Messi they already have agreement in numbers.”.
It suggests that both the parties had held a meeting regarding the financial aspect of a potential transfer. And they have even been able to come to a conclusion, which is a massive step forward for the icon’s potential move away from Camp Nou this summer.
That said, Messi is still fighting a legal battle over Barcelona regarding a clause in his contract that would have allowed him to leave the club for free this summer. Unfortunately, that clause expired in early June, when the season usually comes to a conclusion.
However, Messi’s lawyers argue that because of the Coronavirus, the deadline of that clause should be extended as the 2019/20 campaign in Europe ended in August this year. Manchester City are, no doubt, keeping a close eye on this legal battle, failing which, Messi’s €700 million release clause would remain intact.
Spending such an exorbitant amount of money could once again push Manchester City into trouble regarding the Financial Fair Play, having just won a legal battle with UEFA, where they managed to overturn their two-year ban from European competitions.
For Barcelona fans, therefore, there is still hope that Messi might remain at Camp Nou, although it remains unsure how he would deal with the new boss, Ronald Koeman, who is clearly intent on building a new core in the Barcelona next season.
