It’s got to be PSG, hasn’t it? Neymar, Mbappè, shrewd signings ostensibly on the cheap in Ramos, Wijnaldum, and Donnarumma. Argentinian boss. Adding Messi on a “free” makes complete sense, particularly heading towards a World Cup in Qatar. Easy to fudge the spending here as well.
2 Likes
Hakimi to stretch the pitch for him on the right side and Gini at RCM as the working midfielder (Verratti LCM) to protect him, sort of like Rakitic did at Barca.
2 Likes
Luca Netz from Hertha to Monchengladbach for £3.6m.
Dimitrios Limnios from Koln to Twente on loan.
1 Like
There’s a real dearth of good, young, LBs in FM21, but Netz is one of the better ones I’ve found. Could be one to keep an eye on.
1 Like
You would think so. I read something yesterday though about it being complicated because they’ve already taken on quite a bit of salary this summer.
City should be an obvious option as well, they struck out last summer when he couldn’t get out of his contract, but now they’re in the situation they thought they were last summer with the possibility of getting him without a transfer fee having to be paid. I mean, if I had the choice between that and spending the rest of the window trying to get Tottenham to accept an astronomical bid for Kane…
Kind of off topic, but relevant to Messi:
I just watched most of the press conference with Laporta (English translator, brilliant), and it definitely seems like no way it can be done. Hence the press conference I guess 
He got loads of questions about the contract negotiations, club finances and everything else surrounding it, and the answers were consistent: because of the financial situation they’re in, it’s impossible to fit Messi in without breaking La Liga rules. He also mentioned FFP, but I don’t know if he was referring to La Liga or UEFA rules.
More specific on salary, the ratio is 4:1 in terms of salary they have to get rid of vs salary they take on. I think he said even without Messi they’re on 110% when it comes to salary in relation to revenue.
2 Likes
Almost certainly references to FFP issues for Barcelona relates to La Liga FFP and not UEFA FFP.
2 Likes
Don’t know the details but about time these clubs in Spain be made to pay for their creative ways of spending more than they earn. And good that this Messi situation is at least a prime example of how even the best player in the world (supposedly) are no bigger than financial rules. Hope this is strictly enforced and sends a message to other football associations.
Check Balague’s Twitter, he did a good job in English.
1 Like
Matheus Pereira to Al-Hilal from West Brom.
Seems a shame as he was clearly good enough for the Premier League but he has said in interviews that he grew up in abject poverty and the move to Al-Hilal puts him on about £77k a week with almost no tax. You can see how that’s a life changing amount of money for not only him but likely his whole family and the community he grew up in.
7 Likes
Shame. Reminds me of Asamoah Gyan…was that the guy?
The fascinating thing with this situation is that Messi really can make it easy for whomever he wants to play for. No one that he would be interested would have planned for this to set aside the room in their budget to land him. He has to appreciate that and so surely, especially given his existing wealth, would be willing to play on the cheap.
It was, went to Al Ain.
1 Like
From what I remember though he was one of the first who made that sort of move and was for a massive increase in wages. What we’re talking about for Perreria is totally normal Prem wages these days.
1 Like
I guess it’s the practically tax-free angle, so he pockets most of that £77k pw. What would be the equivalent in the UK to take that home, closer to £150k maybe? He probably wasn’t going to get close to that here.
2 Likes
Makes so much sense I kind of thing there’s been some movements behind scenes to set things up for a while. That right side you describe would work very well even with Messis age. Neymar on the left and a CF type in the middle? Hmm wonder where that leaves Mbappe? He’s not really a CF or that type of CF when he plays there. Plus his wages/offered wages would almost certainly be required by Messi in that situation.
And they will get undone by Robertson and Thiago in Champions League.
Matheus Pereira from WBA to Al-Hilal confirmed, £16.2m.
Luiz Araujo from Lille to Atlanta United for £9.8m.
Denis Makarov from Rubin Kazan to Dynamo Moscow for £6.7m.
Cristian Romero from Juventus to Atalanta for £14.4m, but expected to sign for Spurs for a much bigger fee.
Merih Demiral from Juventus to Atalanta on loan, £2.7m fee, expected to replace Romero.
Kevin Danso from Augsburg to Lens for £4.9m.
2 Likes
Cristian Romero from Atalanta to Spurs confirmed, £45m.
3 Likes
3 Likes
That’s good business for WBA!!!
Was he part-owned by Juventus and Atlanta buying out the JJ share before selling him to Spurs?