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HIGHEST-PAID FOOTBALLER IN THE MAKING: MESSI TO EARN £14,200 AN HOUR AT MANCHESTER CITY

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Even as Jorge Messi, the father and agent of legendary Lionel Messi lands in Barcelona this morning for a crunch talk with Josep Maria Bartomeu, the president of Barcelona over the footballer’s future, it is gathered that Messi has already reached an agreement with Manchester City.

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The making of the highest-paid individual in the history of football

 
 
 

He has reportedly agreed a record £623million deal to join the English Premiership top flight club.

According to Record Sport, Messi has agreed financial terms on a five-year contract worth a total of €700m (£623m).

The incredible deal would make the Argentine the highest-paid individual in the history of the sport.

It equates to £14,200 an hour, £341,000 per day, £2.4m every week and a whopping £10.4m per month.

Messi is set to spend three seasons at the Etihad before joining City Football Group’s Major League Soccer side New York City FC for two years.

It is also reported that Messi could be offered an equity stake in CFG as part of his package.

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The six-time Ballon d’Or winner has been at loggerheads with Barcelona since he handed in his transfer request to leave on a free.

New Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has decided that if Messi does not want to stay at the Spanish giants it would be better to get him out as soon as possible.

And Barca presidential hopeful Victor Font insists current president Josep Maria  Bartomeu must honour his pledge to allow the Argentine superstar “to leave whenever he wants.”

Messi’s father and representative, Jorge Messi, yesterday flew by private jet from his home in Argentina city Rosario to Spain for showdown talks with Barcelona chiefs today.

And Font declared: “A couple of months ago the president said players have earned the right to leave and retire whenever they want.

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“Now, because of these very exceptional circumstances, he has to honour that commitment.”

When asked whether Messi had been betrayed by the club, Font added: “There is an inconsistency, probably due to mismanagement by the current  board, trying to hide behind these wrongdoings.

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“That’s why it’s extremely important for the history of the club that we do what it takes.”

Barcelona claim Messi, 33, is on STRIKE after failing to report for a Covid test and pre-season training.

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But the superstar no longer considers himself a part of  Koeman’s squad following a bitter row over his contract.

His legal team claim he is now a free agent after faxing his transfer request and can leave without his huge 700m euros buy-out clause being paid, while Barca and LaLiga insist the contract terms are still in force.

In a Sky Sports interview Font added: “I’m sure what Messi has decided has not been a last-minute decision, it’ll be something well thought out.

“I really hope the decision can be changed, but it doesn’t seem likely and if that’s the case the focus should be on  getting the transition that Messi deserves.

“We  need to ensure  the  legal battle between the club and  Messi stops. We sit down, we talk. Let’s make sure we don’t get into an even worse situation.”

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It equates to £14,200 an hour, £341,000 per day, £2.4m every week and a whopping £10.4m per month.

Messi is set to spend three seasons at the Etihad before joining City Football Group’s Major League Soccer side New York City FC for two years.

It is also reported that Messi could be offered an equity stake in CFG as part of his package.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner has been at loggerheads with Barcelona since he handed in his transfer request to leave on a free.

New Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has decided that if Messi does not want to stay at the Spanish giants it would be better to get him out as soon as possible.

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And Barca presidential hopeful Victor Font insists current president Josep Maria  Bartomeu must honour his pledge to allow the Argentine superstar “to leave whenever he wants.”

Messi’s father and representative, Jorge Messi, yesterday flew by private jet from his home in Argentina city Rosario to Spain for showdown talks with Barcelona chiefs today.

And Font declared: “A couple of months ago the president said players have earned the right to leave and retire whenever they want.

“Now, because of these very exceptional circumstances, he has to honour that commitment.”

When asked whether Messi had been betrayed by the club, Font added: “There is an inconsistency, probably due to mismanagement by the current  board, trying to hide behind these wrongdoings.

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season

“That’s why it’s extremely important for the history of the club that we do what it takes.”

Barcelona claim Messi, 33, is on STRIKE after failing to report for a Covid test and pre-season training.

But the superstar no longer considers himself a part of  Koeman’s squad following a bitter row over his contract.

His legal team claim he is now a free agent after faxing his transfer request and can leave without his huge 700m euros buy-out clause being paid, while Barca and LaLiga insist the contract terms are still in force.

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In a Sky Sports interview Font added: “I’m sure what Messi has decided has not been a last-minute decision, it’ll be something well thought out.

“I really hope the decision can be changed, but it doesn’t seem likely and if that’s the case the focus should be on  getting the transition that Messi deserves.

“We  need to ensure  the  legal battle between the club and  Messi stops. We sit down, we talk. Let’s make sure we don’t get into an even worse situation.”

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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La Liga

Atletico-Real Madrid derby suspended after fans throw objects onto the pitch

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Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - September 29, 2024 Atletico Madrid fans in the stands as play is stopped due to crowd trouble REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Sunday’s LaLiga derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid was temporarily suspended in the 69th minute due to fans hurling objects onto the pitch after defender Eder Militao scored the opener for the visitors.

While Real players celebrated the goal in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras Fondo Sur, who are located in the south lower stands, threw objects towards visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee and he decided to halt the match.

Atletico captain Koke and defender Jose Maria Gimenez went to the south stand to calm the fans down but the referee ordered the players to go to the dressing rooms as the announcer warned that if the behaviour continued the game would be abandoned.

After a delay of over 20 minutes the players returned to the pitch and the game resumed.

-Reuters

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La Liga

Father of Spain soccer star Lamine Yamal stabbed

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Mounir Nasraoui, father of soccer player Lamine Yamal, smiles in Bar El Cordobes at Rocafonda neighbourhood in Mataro, north of Barcelona, Spain, July 11, 2024. REUTERS/ Albert Gea/File Photo

Mounir Nasraoui, the father of Barcelona and Spain star winger Lamine Yamal, was stabbed late on Wednesday at a parking lot in the northeastern Spanish town of Mataro, La Vanguardia newspaper reported, citing official sources familiar with the matter.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm the report. The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force and a spokesperson for the Mataro local government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to La Vanguardia report, Nasraoui was taken to the Can Ruti hospital in the nearby city of Badalona and his diagnosis was “serious”. It added that local and regional police had located several witnesses of the incident.

However, a later report by sports website Relevo, also citing official sources, said Nasraoui had been released from hospital and was back at his home.

Yamal, a soccer wonderkid who grew up in coastal Mataro – a working-class, multi-ethnic suburb of Barcelona – became the breakout star of the recent Euro 2024 held in Germany.

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Spain won the tournament, helped in part by the 17-year-old scoring against France in the semifinal on July 9.

-Reuters

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La Liga

Vinicius set to leave Real Madrid one billion euro offer

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Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr is open to an offer of more than one billion euros from Saudi Arabia, sources close to the player told Reuters on Monday.

Vinicius, 24, was approached by Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) officials to inquire about his interest of moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) on a five-year contract worth around 200 million euros per season fixed, plus bonuses.

The package would also include a separate 10-year contract to become an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup, which is set to be held in the country, but those terms and financial numbers are yet to be discussed.

Although an official, formal offer has yet to be presented, Vinicius has not dismissed the move and gave permission to PIF to approach Real Madrid.

Despite being “happy and motivated” in the Spanish capital, Vinicius and his representatives believe that a lucrative offer like this needs to be studied carefully.

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Another source close to the player said that Real have shown no interest in negotiating a transfer, highlighting the player’s one billion euro buy-out clause.

Real Madrid and PIF did not respond to requests for comment.

Obsessed to be taken seriously as a soccer force, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project, with PIF taking ownership of 75% of the capital of the country’s four main clubs: Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.

The biggest Saudi transfer came from the country’s most successful club, Al Hilal, who spent 90 million euros to buy forward Neymar from Paris St Germain.

With Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, PIF tried to persuade France captain Kylian Mbappe to be the big name Al Ahli is still missing last year.

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The forward, however, turned down Saudi’s lucrative offer and joined Real Madrid in June.

The proposal for Vinicius is understood to be similar to the Mbappe offer. The Brazilian would join Al Ahli, linking up with former Premier League players Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino.

Vinicius, who is under contract until 2027 after signing an extension in 2022, is a contender to win the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world after helping Real to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season.

-Reuters

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