LIONEL MESSI is open to a move to Manchester City that could see him paid an astonishing £800,000-a-week.
SunSport revealed that Messi was considering quitting the Camp Nou for a shock switch to England.
And
Messi’s representatives have had initial discussions about joining City
which could see the 28-year-old sign a deal worth around £40MILLION a year.
The Barca superstar would pocket around £32m for playing with the rest paid in image rights and bonuses.
City
have been given encouragement that Messi is willing to end his time in
Spain after 11 years — where his current £500,000-a-week deal ends in
2018.
And despite a buy-out clause of £250m, the Spanish champions are
believed to be open to offers at a more realistic £120m for the
four-time Ballon D’Or winner.
Barca have prioritised the renewal of Neymar’s contract over Messi which the Argentine sees as an insult.
With Neymar and Luis Suarez starring during his recent injury, Messi fears he may be surplus to requirements.
And the pursuit of both he and his father on tax evasion charges has also seen Messi review his time in the country.
The City hierarchy can fund the remarkable package on the back of the
new TV deal that begins next season and will be worth up to £150m per
season for the champions.
City chiefs also know that signing
Messi would greatly improve their chances of making Pep Guardiola their
next boss given the pair’s incredible success together at the Camp Nou.
City
chief exec Ferran Soriano and director, Txiki Begiristain, have a
strong relationship with Messi and his father, who is his agent, from
their time at Barcelona.
SunSport understands that initial talks were positive.
But such mega deals take months to thrash out and City will have to work hard to persuade Messi his future is at the Etihad.
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