Man City plan to use New York City FC to sign Messi

 

Manchester City are mulling a long-term contract offer for Barcelona captain Lionel Messi that includes an option to end his playing career at MLS outfit New York City FC, claims ESPN.

 

Messi has informed Barcelona of his desire to leave this summer and is confident he can leave on a free transfer due to a clause in his current deal, which has entered the final 12 months.

 

Barcelona are adamant Messi will not be able to leave for nothing and are understandably digging their heels in over losing one of the greatest players of all-time.

 

City are monitoring developments closely and have already started crunching the numbers to find out whether Messi is financially viable within the constraints of Financial Fair Play (FFP).

 

Pep Guardiola has reportedly already spoke with Messi's camp about a potential deal in the last week and not having to pay a transfer fee would certainly boost City's chances of signing the 33-year-old.

 

City are not only thinking about in the short-term but also willing to offer Messi the chance to wind down his career in MLS with New York City FC, who are also owned by City Football Group.

 

 

Messi would have to accept a significant wage cut in order to join City but that is understood to be the least of his concerns, as he desperately attempts to terminate his Barcelona contract.

 

Guardiola has previously rubbished City's chances of signing Messi but the Premier League outfit are the best-placed club in Europe to sign the megastar, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Inter further back in the race.

 

Messi was already weighing up his future at Barcelona following the club's humilating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals but a recent meeting with new head coach Ronald Koeman is said to have settled his mind.

 

Koeman is reported to have told Messi his privilege's have gone, to which the Barcelona No.10 reacted furiously and is now more determined than ever to leave his boyhood club.

 

Despite not being at his scintillating best last season, for the first time in his career Messi scored 20+ goals and registered 20+ assists in a single league campaign.