The $451m headache behind Messi move

3 years ago 365

If Lionel Messi does go the latest prima to assistance Paris Saint-Germain's quest to triumph the elusive Champions League, manager Mauricio Pochettino indispensable enactment retired the champion mode to accommodate him successful a top-heavy attack.

Messi bid a tearful farewell to Barcelona connected Sunday. At the aforesaid time, PSG was successful talks with his squad trying to finalize a woody to motion him amid reports Messi had flown to Paris connected Sunday for a meeting.

Talk of Messi's imminent accomplishment led respective 100 PSG fans to hold extracurricular Le Bourget airport, to the northbound of Paris, which is often utilized by PSG and the nationalist team.

Messi would go the biggest prima to get astatine Parc des Princes since cash-rich Qatari owners QSI took implicit the nine 10 years ago.

Messi's accomplishment would surpass adjacent the fanfare of Neymar's world-record signing for 222 cardinal euros ($261 million) from Barcelona successful 2017, oregon Zlatan Ibrahimovic's brazenly self-promoting presumption by the Eiffel Tower successful 2012.

They ne'er won a Ballon d'Or, fto unsocial the grounds six Messi has.

Lionel Messi celebrates aft scoring for Barcelona past season. (picture confederation via Getty Image)

The shot great's staggering tally of 672 goals for Barca includes an bonzer 50-goal play successful 2012; 96 league goals and a singular 133 wide crossed 2012 and 2013; 8 Spanish league and six Champions League scoring titles.

Not to notation 4 Champions League trophies with Barcelona, a grounds 91 goals successful a calendar twelvemonth for nine and country, and a Copa America rubric with Argentina.

Even Messi's property — he's 34 — volition person small interaction connected the immense anticipation that his accomplishment would make wrong French shot and beyond.

But wherever is Pochettino, a chap Argentine, going to play him successful onslaught which includes Neymar, France's World Cup prima Kylian Mbappe, Copa America match-winner Angel Di Maria and sharpshooter Mauro Icardi?

Mbappe outgo 180 cardinal euros ($288 million) and netted a career-high 42 goals past season. The nine paid 50 cardinal euros ($80 million) for Icardi. He showed his finishing skills connected Saturday nighttime successful PSG's league-opener — a 2-1 triumph astatine Troyes — and has 34 goals successful 64 games for PSG. The nine secured Di Maria immoderate clip ago, the tried and tested winger joined connected a transportation interest of $83 million.

Messi leaves Barcelona having played a portion successful 4 of the club's 5 UEFA Champions League wins (Getty)

Icardi looks definite to autumn down successful the pecking bid and could adjacent beryllium sold oregon loaned to instrumentality immoderate value disconnected the club's immense wage bill.

Pochettino needs to determine whether to usage Di Maria successful a four-man onslaught astatine the hazard of unbalancing midfield. PSG showed past play — and successful the mode it conceded a brushed extremity from a country against Troyes — that it needs extortion astatine the back.

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