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Barcelona star Lionel Messi has signed a three-year contract with Manchester City, according to the British newspaper The Daily Record.
The publication reported yesterday that the Argentine attacker agreed to a package of 700 million euros (S $ 1.130 million) with City Football Group, the holding company of the English Premier League club.
The deal will make him the highest paid player in soccer history.
The deal will see Messi play for the EPL club for three seasons, before moving to the New York City sister team in Major League Soccer in the United States.
The Daily Record quoted a source as saying that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner chose City because of his desire to meet manager Pep Guardiola, who launched his career at Barcelona.
However, the situation is complicated by Messi’s contractual situation in Barcelona.
His field insists he has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave with a free transfer, a claim disputed by Barcelona and La Liga, who say the 33-year-old can only leave if a rival club is willing to pay his 700. millions. euro exemption clause. Messi did not show up on Monday for new coach Ronald Koeman’s first training session.
Messi’s father, Jorge, flew to Barcelona on a private jet yesterday to meet with the club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, in an attempt to find some sort of resolution.
He told reporters that he had not yet spoken to Guardiola.
When asked how he sees Messi’s future at Barcelona, he replied: “Difficult, difficult.”
The favorite to replace Bartomeu in the club’s elections next year, Victor Font, also said it was “unlikely” that Messi would remain with Barcelona.
He told Sky Sports: “It doesn’t seem likely though, and therefore if that’s the case the focus should be on making the transition as smooth as possible.”
Meanwhile, Barça midfielder Frenkie de Jong called the situation at the club “a disaster”.
He told the Dutch station: “Currently, it is a disaster in Barcelona, so many strange things are happening. It is chaos.
“I have not spoken with him (Messi) about this. Nor with the club. So, honestly, I don’t know what it is like. But, if Messi really leaves, it will be a serious blow for the team and the club.
He added that Messi remains in the group chat of Barça players.
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