Manchester City ‘ready to meet Lionel Messi’s £275million buy-out clause’ after it was revealed he has NOT signed new Barcelona contract
Five-time Ballon d'Or-winner followed Etihad side's official Instagram account and current deal expires in the summer
MANCHESTER CITY are ready to break the world transfer record and meet Lionel Messi’s £275million buy-out clause, according to reports in France.
Neymar became football’s costliest player when he left the Nou Camp to join Paris Saint-Germain for £198m.
And Yahoo Sport France report we could have the £100m and £200m barrier breached in the same summer — as City try to lure Messi to the Etihad.
It’s been a disastrous summer for Barcelona.
The have lost the player they were planning to build their future around after PSG took them by surprise and met Neymar’s staggering buy-out clause.
That they replaced him with Paulinho showed how far they’ve fallen as just 2,000 fans turned up to watch the former Tottenham man’s presentation.
Barcelona had to watch arch-rivals Real Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League last season using the model which proved so successful for the Catalans.
And Los Blancos proved their dominance with a 5-1 aggregate victory in the Spanish Super Cup.
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Furthermore, Andres Iniesta has revealed he is considering his future, with his current deal running out in the summer — and no new offer on the table.
Losing Messi would surely be a fatal blow to the Catalans, but it has been revealed that, despite an announcement in July, the Argentina superstar has NOT yet signed his extension.
Were there any possibility of him being open to leaving the Nou Camp, Pep Guardiola would no doubt demand City do whatever necessary to get him to Manchester.
Speculation of a move to the Etihad has grown after it was revealed he had followed the Premier League side's official Instagram account.
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