As the January transfer window looms large, much speculation has focused on Barcelona, and whether the La Liga giants can manage to keep their lethal trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez at Camp Nou because of their financial constraints.
The Catalans have repeatedly insisted they are not at all interested to let leave any of the three icons, but both Manchester giants will challenge the Catalan side’s credibility next summer in a “£1 billion battle,” according to the report from The Sun.
The paper also claims that Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is now desperate to land Neymar, whereas Woodward’s rival at Manchester City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, is working hard to pull off the biggest transfer coup in history for Messi. With money no object for both the Premier League giants, it will be a straight forward battle between Manchester City and Manchester United as to decide which club can lure one of MSN away from La Liga to Premier League.
The figures of the rumoured offer is said to be a total of £195m for Neymar and £550m for Messi if the Argentine also moves to join Manchester City’s sister club, New York City FC, in the Major League Soccer after a spell at the Etihad.
Back in October, Messi himself attracted the headlines as there was a report that the Argentine was learning English and rumours spread quickly he might decide to move for EPL giants. It was suggested the Barcelona superstar can pick any club that is capable of meeting his wages despite winning 25 major titles with the Catalans.
United were also linked with the Neymar in the dying moments of the summer transfer window, but a successful deal was never achieved. According to Spanish media outlet Sport, the Red Devils launched a huge bid and informed Neymar he would be paid £280,000 per week if he had a plan for a move to Old Trafford, but Barcelona were not at all interested in United’s offer.
However The Sun insists, the hefty offer “really do stack up” when factoring in outstanding new TV rights deals and huge sponsorship agreements. With the elite class of managers – Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti – also up for grabs, Manchester could certainly become the centre of world football’s next transfer battle extravaganza.