Man City crunching numbers to turn 'dream' Lionel Messi transfer into reality: Report

The humiliating 2-8 defeat against Bayern Munich hasn’t gone down well with Barcelona captain Lionel Messi, who now seeks an exit from the Camp Nou. Amid his exit talks doing the rounds, Premier League heavyweights Manchester City have begun crunching the numbers to understand the feasibility of roping in the Argentina international to the Etihad this transfer window.

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Lionel Messi transfer to Man City? 

Man City have begun with their calculations to realise the Lionel Messi transfer without breaching the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, according to a report by ESPN. However, Barcelona have officially maintained that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner is not for sale and will be the key man for newly appointed manager Ronald Koeman. The club also maintains that any club that seeks to seal the Lionel Messi transfer should meet his release clause that stands at a staggering €700 million ($826m).

According to ESPN, some members of the Barcelona board are open to listening to offers for Messi, if the player pushes for an exit. The same members feel that the money that the club will earn from the Argentine’s sale to Man City should be invested in the rebuilding of the squad under Ronald Koeman.

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Lionel Messi contract runs until 2021

Amid the Man City rumours, Messi is bound by a contract with Barcelona until 2021. During his presentation as the new manager, Koeman insisted that he would want to have the best player in the world leading the lines for him. However, he also asserted that he wasn’t yet aware if he had to convince the superstar to stay at the club, amid the Messi contract situation.

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PSG manager speaks on Lionel Messi transfer, amid Man City rumours

It was reported last week that Messi cut short his Ibiza holiday to meet Koeman. Although the minutes of the meeting weren’t officially revealed by Barcelona, sources in Spain state that Messi has informed Koeman that he is closer to an exit than staying at the club. However, Man City aren’t the only club keen on roping in the 33-year-old.

Speaking on the Lionel Messi transfer to the media after Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) defeat in the Champions League final, manager Thomas Tuchel has claimed that the Barcelona man will be welcomed gracefully at the Parc des Princes. However, he went on to insist that the four-time Champions League winner will finish his career at Barcelona despite reports suggesting a move to Man City.

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Image courtesy: Barcelona Instagram