Messi 'agrees £623 million deal' with UAE-owned Manchester City: reports

Messi 'agrees £623 million deal' with UAE-owned Manchester City: reports
Lionel Messi could be preparing for an eye-watering £623 million move to Manchester City.
2 min read
02 September, 2020
The Argentine star could be headed for Manchester [Getty]
Barcelona star Lionel Messi is preparing to move to UAE-owned English club for a record £623 million deal, according to media reports.

The Argentine forward reportedly agreed terms with Manchester City which would see him by far the world's best paid footballer, after a public fall-out with current club Barcelona.

Considered some to be the world's best-ever footballer, Messi's five-year contract would be worth a staggering €700 million (£623 million), according to Record Sport.

It would see him play three years at Premier League side Manchester City before spending two years at US Major League Soccer's New York City FC, which is also owned by the London-based Emirati-led conglomerate.

His deal could also include a stake in City Football Group's (CFG), founded by the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour Al-Nahyan and Emirati entrepreneur Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, who is the holding company's chairman.

The eye-watering deal breaks down to £14,200 an hour or £2.4m a week.

Messi has had a public falling-out with Barcelona's new manager Ronald Koeman, with the club claiming the Argentine player is on strike after not appearing for pre-seaon training or a Covid-19 test.

Messi has reportedly faxed the club stating his intention to leave the club and that he believes he is a free agent, despite Barcelona insisting the player is tied to a 700 million euros buy-out clause.

Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain have also reportedly expressed interest in the player, but the Argentine star's father - Jorge Messi - has told the French side he is heading for City.

Jorge Messi has reportedly flown into Barcelona for crunch talks with club officials, making the prospect of a move to Manchester City more imminent.

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