The offseason is here, and that means it’s time to focus on two things- Euro 2021 (preview here) and the summer transfer window. Manchester City entered the off-season on the back end of another UCL disappointment, and it was a UCL Final that broke some TV ratings records.
For all that Pep Guardiola has accomplished at City, he still has two main objectives to achieve at the club- winning Champions League, and getting the greatest player he’s ever coached, Lionel Messi, over to the Etihad. City has tried to acquire Messi a few times, and last yeart they came a bit closer.
Barcelona are working on last details/clauses and preparing the official new contract proposal until June 2023 for Lionel Messi. ?? #FCB
Barça are ‘confident’ to complete the agremeent after positive talks.
Agüero ofc… but also Wijnaldum, new signings appreciated by Messi.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 2, 2021
Given the Argentine winger’s contract situation at FC Barcelona, it was thought this year could be their best chance yet, but once again it looks like it won’t happen. As you can see from the tweet above, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the “Here We Go” guy, says the Catalan club are taking care of Messi’s expiring contract right now.
It appears he’ll still with Barca for two more seasons, and then move, but to MLS instead of City. And it won’t be, supposedly, to the Major League Soccer club with the same corporate parents as Man City, New York City FC.
No, instead it will be to Inter Miami, David Beckham’s club, which is only in its second year of existence.
The report goes on to say that City club legend Sergio Aguero, who just moved to Barcelona this week, could join up with Lionel Messi again in Miami.
Obviously, this is a lot of ifs, thens, and buts, so we’ll just leave that there for now and move on to the next item.
The Wu Tang Clan taught us that cash rules everything around them, and the same can be said of Harry Kane and Tottenham Hotspur.
He’s the face of the club, and everything Spurs do this summer in the transfer market hinges on his status, first and foremost. He’s made his public his intentions to potentially leave this summer, and he’s been linked with a move to City, among others.
Right now Tottenham are focused on getting their new manager, Antonio Conte, signed, sealed and delivered. They then hope Kane changes his mind about moving on.
“It remains to be seen whether Conte’s possible appointment is enough to convince Kane to change his mind, although Spurs are reluctant to sell in any case given his importance to the team and the fact he has three years remaining on his current £200,000-a-week contract.”
With Spurs reluctant to sell, Levy a notorious hardball negotiator, and deals of this size for players of this stature naturally quite complicated, it is truly going to take a lot of effort from multiple parties to get Kane out the door this summer.
It could still be a blockbuster summer transfer window, but it seems that Lionel Messi is staying put, and Kane’s future is far from decided. As always, watch this space.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.