Lionel Messi

[BobTheCharmer]

on a side note, What sort of ****ing idiot agrees that the worlds best player can just leave on a free?? is Damien Comolli controlling transfers at Barca?

Well maybe it was a gentlemans agreement for the years of loyalty.

[Buzzo]

Loyalty that comes at the price of £1m per week.

[BobTheCharmer]

Loyalty that comes at the price of £1m per week.

Surely he's been worth it? He doesn't owe them anything now. He's been a one club man. Best player of the modern era.

[Buzzo]

Surely he's been worth it? He doesn't owe them anything now. He's been a one club man. Best player of the modern era.

Yeah but that’s a 2 way street for sure. He’s been handsomely rewarded for that Loyalty. I’m no fan of Barca though, so it would ultimately be quite amusing if he walked away for nothing especially when they are holding out for £700m. Seems mad to have both a £700m release clause and an agreement that he can leave for free??? Odd clause to have.

It’s quite telling that after all the millions earned and the trophy’s won as soon as it turns to **** he’s wanting out.

Look at someone like Gerrard and the loyalty he showed at times in a fairly **** team yet it meant so much to him to wear the red shirt.

I’d assumed Messi was the same.

[labourRed]

When does la liga start? It wouldn't surprise me if Koeman is also somewhere else. Messi and Suarez are pretty close.

[BobTheCharmer]

Yeah but that’s a 2 way street for sure. He’s been handsomely rewarded for that Loyalty. I’m no fan of Barca though, so it would ultimately be quite amusing if he walked away for nothing especially when they are holding out for £700m. Seems mad to have both a £700m release clause and an agreement that he can leave for free??? Odd clause to have.

It’s quite telling that after all the millions earned and the trophy’s won as soon as it turns to **** he’s wanting out.

Look at someone like Gerrard and the loyalty he showed at times in a fairly **** team yet it meant so much to him to wear the red shirt.

I’d assumed Messi was the same.

Gerrard is Liverpool born and bred. Messi was born in Argentina. Massive difference there when comparing the two and their undying loyalty.

It'll take a few years until they get back to their best again, he's 33 and has imo pulled an at times very pretty tippy tap team into serial winners with his goals. He's probably fancied a change for years, the team is shot and he has a couple of good years left, so wants a new challenge. He's criticised for not trying another league and he's criticised for jumping a sinking ship. Messi aged 25 would carry that team he can't anymore. I don't blame him for wanting out. I hope he goes to Italy and upstages Fake Ronnie.

[labourRed]

Gerrard is Liverpool born and bred. Messi was born in Argentina. Massive difference there when comparing the two and their undying loyalty.

It'll take a few years until they get back to their best again, he's 33 and has imo pulled an at times very pretty tippy tap team into serial winners with his goals. He's probably fancied a change for years, the team is shot and he has a couple of good years left, so wants a new challenge. He's criticised for not trying another league and he's criticised for jumping a sinking ship. Messi aged 25 would carry that team he can't anymore. I don't blame him for wanting out. I hope he goes to Italy and upstages Fake Ronnie.

I don't know how you can question his loyalty. For me, the best player of all time staying at a European club for twenty years - only one to do that. He'd probably be nothing without Barca, the only club willing to pay for his growth hormone treatment and pay for his family to relocate. He stayed at the club when Premier league stole players from that great youth team.

When Messi was 25 he had Iniesta and Xavi behind him. Messi wasn't dragging that team anywhere, they were ATGs - not mere tiki takis.

[Sus]

£100m pa wages too

Does he earn 2m quid per week????

[Irishnev]

Does he earn 2m quid per week????

When you factor in bonuses and loyalty payments it’s prob even more - I think I saw £120m p/a and when you consider the tax rate in Spain is around 50% then it costs Barca double it........although Messi tried to fudge that also

[Irishnev]

This is the guy that broke the Messi news and Neymar news.....says Messi wants to go to City.......I wonder why ££££££

A new sponsorship coming up to keep them within FFP

[ame="https://twitter.com/marcelobechler/status/1298419935773954048"]https://twitter.com/marcelobechler/status/1298419935773954048[/ame]

[dom9]

When you factor in bonuses and loyalty payments it’s prob even more - I think I saw £120m p/a and when you consider the tax rate in Spain is around 50% then it costs Barca double it........although Messi tried to fudge that also

You missed out image rights too.

[BobTheCharmer]

I don't know how you can question his loyalty. For me, the best player of all time staying at a European club for twenty years - only one to do that. He'd probably be nothing without Barca, the only club willing to pay for his growth hormone treatment and pay for his family to relocate. He stayed at the club when Premier league stole players from that great youth team.

When Messi was 25 he had Iniesta and Xavi behind him. Messi wasn't dragging that team anywhere, they were ATGs - not mere tiki takis.

I wasn't, Buzzo was. I was defending (for no good reason I'll add) his right to want a new challenge. Whilst pointing out gerrard was unique because he was playing for the club in the city he was born.

[Exiled_red]

I don't know how you can question his loyalty. For me, the best player of all time staying at a European club for twenty years - only one to do that. He'd probably be nothing without Barca, the only club willing to pay for his growth hormone treatment and pay for his family to relocate. He stayed at the club when Premier league stole players from that great youth team.

When Messi was 25 he had Iniesta and Xavi behind him. Messi wasn't dragging that team anywhere, they were ATGs - not mere tiki takis.

Loyalty in football is a funny thing, as it seems you can only be considered loyal if you have options to go elsewhere and choose to stay. You usually talk about it in terms of a good player having the option to move to a better club in order to have the opportunity to win things, and the player turning down the opportunity. No one ever talks about loyalty if the opportunity to leave never arises. (People talk about Gerrard being loyal but the same never comes up for Carragher for example).

Messi's situation is an almost unique one, no doubt any club in the world would want him, but realistically there are only 4 that I can think of who might realistically be able to afford his wages and likely transfer fee: Barcelona where he's at, Man City, PSG and possibly Real Madrid (perhaps more so in the past than now), so that loyalty has never been tested. Barcelona have always been the best option, PSG and City still haven't won the CL, they could match Barca in financial terms but over recent years Barca are or have been ahead of them in footballing terms, joining one of them would be a step down. Madrid poses a different set of problems but would still be just a sideways step. Things have changed somewhat now Barcelona are on the decline, now is the first time in his career where there might be better options.

[Fan65]

Messi with Guardiola at City, Messi & De Bruyne in the same team... Wow

[Alex]

Meh. Barca hardly set the world alight last few years.

Messi is phenomenal, best ive ever seen play. But I think the pace and physicality for someone like him who isnt used to it at age 33 will be a tough adjustment.

He will probably bang in 30 goals though. But Augero when fit would get 20.