Football news - Barcelona expect Lionel Messi deal to be signed imminently - Paper Round
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Published 04/08/2021 at 23:13 GMT+1
Barcelona expect that Lionel Messi will very soon commit his future to the Catalans now he is back from his holiday. Elsewhere, Paul Pogba and Manchester United are waiting for Paris Saint-Germain to make their move, Leeds want Club Brugge's Noa Lang, and Tammy Abraham may not join Arsenal, with Aston Villa interested.
Messi durante Barcellona-Celta Vigo - Liga 2020/2021
Image credit: Getty Images
Barcelona expect Messi deal
Barcelona are now confident that Lionel Messi will sign a new contract with them imminently. Spanish newspaper Marca reports that the 34-year-old forward could commit his future to the Catalans in the next few hours. He will sign a five-year deal that will allow him to spend the last few seasons in the United States while remaining an ambassador for the club.
Paper Round’s view: A five-year deal means that if Messi continues to perform at the highest level then the club won’t need to worry about him swanning off elsewhere. However, in a couple of years time he will likely have faded a little and be in the mood for something easier, while earning a fortune in MLS. Keeping him on as an ambassador will help them commercially.
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'Barca need to bring wage bill down for Messi to stay' Tebas
Pogba and United wait for PSG
Manchester United and Paul Pogba will have to wait for any clarity on the player’s future. The 28-year-old French midfielder is in the final 11 months of his contract at Old Trafford, and the Telegraph reports that with the transfer window yet to run until the end of August, Paris Saint-Germain could still make a move for the player, despite recent protests from some of their fans.
Paper Round’s view: Pogba could still earn a huge raise if he signs a new deal at Manchester United and it is not inconceivable that if he sees Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho in action alongside his current teammates then he might throw in his hat with United for another year or two. However, United really should move him on and get some cash, and bring in someone who wants to be there.
Leeds face competition for Lang
Leeds United face competition for Club Brugge’s young winger Noa Lang. The 22-year-old Dutch wide player was in excellent form last season, scoring 17 goals and setting up 11 last season. However, Sevilla are also keen, but with the Belgians wanting around £17-21 million for him, it may be that the Premier League side are the only one who can afford him.
Paper Round’s view: Lang has shown plenty of promise over the last year and he fits what Marcelo Bielsa wants in a player. He is young and full of running, and has skill too. More generally Premier League clubs’ financial health is giving them a huge advantage in the market this summer and they could be building an advantage against the rest of Europe for years to come.
Arsenal risk Abraham deal
The Mirror suggests that Arsenal could miss out on Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham. The 23-year-old has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge, with Thomas Tuchel preferring Kai Havertz and Timo Werner. With Romelu Lukaku potentially on his way it means that Abraham could soon be available. However with Aston Villa lurking, they could steal in to sign the England international.
Paper Round’s view: Abraham needs to move on and start playing regularly, and in truth it’s hard to see whether he would get that now. Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexander Lacazette are both better strikers than Abraham probably ever will be. They should be looking to land a better player and let Aston Villa make a move for a player who is at their level.
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