Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Lionel Messi and Diego Costa
Manchester City have reportedly told Barcelona they are ready to pay £100 million to sign Lionel Messi and reunite him with manager Pep Guardiola. Negotiations are even said to have already taken place between the two clubs.
In an exclusive, Phil Cadden of The Sun has revealed how City are determined to equip Guardiola with the star forward who helped him win so many titles for Barcelona:
"SunSport understands negotiations between executives of both clubs were held at the end of last month to determine if a world record transfer is possible.
City did not make a formal bid for the five-time World Player of the Year.
But they made it clear they were not afraid of topping the global high of £89m that Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba last summer.
Barca have so far refused to name a price or even confirm they will sell Messi, who will turn 30 in June.
However, their willingness to listen to City has encouraged the Etihad hierarchy and the conversation was described as ‘positive’ by a source.
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Barcelona need to put together a lucrative new contract for their main man. It's something Cadden believes will be tough, with City ready to offer the Argentinian superstar as much as £800,000 per week to switch clubs.
There have been reports recently indicating Barca will have to take drastic steps to come up with the funds needed to keep Messi at the Camp Nou. Such methods could include selling playmakers Ivan Rakitic and Arda Turan, according to Alonso Castilla of Spanish publication El Confidencial (h/t Sam Street of The Sun).
However, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has sought to calm any concerns regarding Messi's future. He recently told Esport3 (h/t Goal's Tom Webber): "We are talking with his people. He is the best in the world, he wants to stay here and we want him to as well."
Given the continued uncertainty surrounding Messi's next contract, it's small wonder City and his former manager would believe a deal can eventually be struck.
After all, Guardiola was perhaps the key figure in Messi's development into the world's best player. He built successive sides around the South American's magical brilliance, granting him the freedom to play through the middle and lead the line.
Such freedom, along with Guardiola putting quality attackers such as David Villa and Pedro around Messi, proved a formula for dominance for Barca. The combination led to a pair of UEFA Champions League trophies on Guardiola's watch, with the Argentina international the leading light in both triumphs.
Yet not everybody is convinced Messi will jump at the chance to work with Guardiola again. At least not in Manchester.
ESPN FC's Samuel Marsden has mapped out the reasons why the 29-year-old remains happy enough to stay at Barca, at least for the foreseeable future.
In particular, Marsden cited Messi's rapport with fellow attackers Luis Suarez and Neymar: "After struggling to get on with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Villa, many were sceptical about how he would gel with Neymar and Luis Suarez. However, not only have the trio struck up an understanding on the pitch, but they have a relationship off it, too."
Marsden also noted how staying at the Camp Nou would be the safest way for Messi to ensure winning more top trophies. It's a view with credence since Guardiola's City revolution has stalled, with the Manchester club fifth and outside the Champions League places in England's top flight.
City have the money to make a world-record deal happen, but Messi would be turning his back on a lot if he left Barcelona.
Count on him ultimately staying with the Catalan club.
Barca Linked with Diego Costa
Barca want to keep their key man in attack, but that hasn't stopped the club from being linked with top strikers. In fact, they are said to be keen on Chelsea's Diego Costa, according to Miguel Delaney of The Independent.
He names Costa as a chief target with Suarez soon to turn 30. Delaney also indicated how Barcelona would face fierce competition from La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid for Costa.
Atleti would likely have the edge since Costa helped the club win the Spanish league title in 2014.
However, the bigger issues at present concern Costa's status at Chelsea. The striker is said to have become embroiled in a spat with Blues manager Antonio Conte, as well as some of the club's fitness coaches, per Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph.
In a separate report, Law detailed how Conte won't make peace with Costa and plans to sell him in the summer.
However, it might not mean Barca and Atleti should take encouragement. Not when Shu Yuhui, president of Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian, has suggested he's already agreed to terms with the Spain international over a possible summer move, according to Calciomercato.com.
There's no denying Costa can be a match-winner for any top club. He's a ruthless and gifted finisher, one who only needs a chance to punish defences.
Costa is also versatile enough to vacate his preferred position through the middle. The 28-year-old once operated effectively on the left for Atleti, back in the days when Radamel Falcao led the line.
However, the left flank is Neymar's purview at Barca, while Suarez and Messi play with a freedom Costa has never been granted. The Chelsea man may be on the move, but he doesn't seem like the most natural fit for the Blaugrana.
Barca would be better served ensuring Messi will continue his decorated career at the Camp Nou.
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