Ready To Buy Messi, City Analyzes Prices To Avoid Financial Fair Play

Lionel Messi (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Lionel Messi has reportedly submitted a contract termination to Barcelona to sell him. Manchester City are trying to take advantage of this situation.

The Citizens show their seriousness to buy Lionel Messi. They are even analyzing the amount of funds that could have been spent if they were able to get the Barcelona star.

The analysis carried out by City is not without reason. Messi's release clause, which is quite high, makes them have to calculate in detail the money that must be spent so as not to violate the rules of Financial Fair Play.

City already know that any deal on Messi will be complicated but want to be prepared as soon as there is a chance for La Pulga.

So far, Barca's official stance has been that Messi is not for sale and whoever wants to sign his player has to refer to the 700 million euro sell clause in Messi's contract or more than three times the price of the world's most expensive player Neymar.

However, ESPN last week revealed that a number of members of the Barca board of directors would openly sell him if the Argentine player continued to ask for his release and the money from Messi's sale would be invested in rebuilding the team.

Messi's contract expires in 2021 and has already met new coach Ronald Koeman to express doubts about staying at Barcelona.

At 33 years old Messi knows he doesn't have much time left to appear at the top level of the competition. He wants to make sure his last seasons are spent in a team that has won the highest glory in the Champions League.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel has suggested Messi would be warmly welcomed at his club but Tuchel is confident Messi will end his career at Barcelona. The same belief was expressed by City coach Pep Guardiola.

But other sources have told ESPN that City are always following Messi's situation closely and are serious about studying the player's price.