City's plan to sign Messi and comply with the Financial Fair Play, according to an expert

When Messi is more out than in Barcelona and it is resolved if any club has to pay the 700 million euros of his clause or on the contrary, as Messi affirms, he can leave for free. There are many clubs doing numbers to hire the Argentine crack. One of the loudest is the Manchester City that will have to do financial engineering to match Messi's salary.

According to the financial expert Kieran Maguire for The Athletic and the one that echoes TyC Sports, the English club will not have many problems to stay within the economic canons required by UEFA from the Financial Fair Play (FPF) in which expenses cannot exceed income by more than € 100M. As long as he amortizes the amount of Messi's transfer throughout his contract.

As Maguire explains, taking as a reference value around 160 million euros (its market value in Transfermarkt is € 112M) as the final transfer price, the English will be able to offer Barcelona an annual payment plan that, together with Messi's total salary, does not violate FPF rules. Maguire speaks specifically of a contract for Messi of 68 million euros per year of five campaigns of duration, without adding what comes in from sponsorships. A figure similar to what he now perceives at Barça. Therefore, City could divide the 160 million euros of the transfer into installments of 32 million per year. Which would mean a total outlay of 100 million euros per season (€ 68M salary + € 32M of payments to Barça) for the Etihad Stadium club

A financial engineering exercise that could be carried out if Barcelona accepts that extended payment of the transfer in five installments and if the English club does not have to pay the termination clause of 700 million euros.

UEFA pandemic legislation favors City

UEFA due to the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic decided to calculate the financial years of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons as one, to give more room to the clubs. According to the expert, Manchester City presents a profit of just over 120 million euros for the period 2016-2019. A figure that gives him room for maneuver to face Messi's stellar signing without the risk of suffering from the yoke of UEFA and its FPF.

And that as long as Messi charges the same as he perceives in Barcelona. If you decide to lower your salary, the City will have even more facilities to undertake other hires: Koulibaly, Diego Carlos … The departures of David Silva and Sané have lightened the salary mass of the entity citizen and your coffers can meet other extra expenses.

Maguire also, little focus on collateral aspects to the arrival of the Argentine. An economic boom that will provide the City with extra income (as the expert says, similar to the arrival of Cristiano to Juventus). Their advertising contracts would multiply. “Having Messi promote a club partner brand can be another significant income for the club. City has 27 global and 16 regional partners, according to its website, so an income of just over a million euros for each of them would mean a big difference for the team's coffers“Maguire explains. Another example is that Premier League teams that are televised more than 10 times in a season receive a € 1.2M bonus. With Messi they would also have that extra economic guaranteed.

So the FPF will not be a problem for Messi to sign for Manchester City.