Lionel Messi wants PSG and Brazil star Neymar to join him in Manchester City, where the Argentinian will reportedly continue his career, ESPN Brazil reported. According to the sports website, Messi has allegedly told Neymar, with whom he played for four years in Barcelona, that he will move to Etihad, City’s stadium, soon and encouraged the 28-year-old Brazilian to join him.
The two are friends and during the past couple of years Messi has reportedly asked Barcelona to re-sign Neymar, who scored 20 goals during his last season at Camp Nou. According to ESPN Brazil, Messi also spoke privately to Neymar about his desire to leave Barcelona this year.
The development comes as Barcelona’s leadership is working to convince Messi to stay at Camp Nou at least until 2021, when his contract expires. Thousands of fans gathered at the team’s stadium criticising the club’s officials and calling on them to find a solution that will make Messi stay.
Will Messi and Neymar play together again?
The issue, of course, depends on the generosity of the owner of Manchester City – Emirati Sheikh Mansour. In 2017, PSG paid Barcelona a whopping $263 million for Neymar. Messi is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, player in the history of football, so how much Barcelona will ask from Manchester City (or any other club) remains a mystery, but it will most likely be a nine-figure sum.
Moreover, Messi’s contract with Barcelona, which expires next summer, includes a $824 million buy-out clause. So Manchester City would spend almost one billion dollars just on the 33-year-old Lionel Messi, if they were to buy him.
